Cinco De Mayo

... is, for most Americans, an excuse to drink beer, especially Corona. But for Mexicans, especially those in the state of Puebla, Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican army's victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla on this day in 1862. Most "gringos" assume it's the Mexican independence day, when in fact it is not. As Mexican holidays go, it's not that important. In fact, it's not even obligatory, except maybe in Puebla. But this past weekend, even the Irish pubs had an excuse to pretend they were Mexicans. And today, Mexican-Americans in cities across the United States will have their own celebrations (like the one in Saint Paul, Minnesota, in the photo at right). So what was once a minor holiday is now a really big deal, because it's a great excuse for beer makers and bartenders to cash in on the action, and to party.

I think the same thing happened to Chanukkah.
.