Cinco de Mayo is celebrated on May 5th. It is more than just an excuse to throw a party or take the day off work, it celebrates the victory of the Battle of Puebla in 1862. Whether you are going all out and having a huge party or just having a few friends over for drinks, if you want to decorate without breaking the bank, here are some cool but inexpensive items you might want to check out.
Some of the best party items for Cinco de Mayo are:
Pinata: You can go with a lot of different themes for a Cinco de Mayo party but sticking with something basic will make things a lot easier to organize if you have other people pitching in. A red hot chili pepper, smiling sun or donkey pinata are wise choices. Most can be found for about ten dollars at party supply stores. If you are getting a pinata then you will need to get items to put in it. Mexican grocery stores sell bagged candy imported from Mexico but you can go with small toys, coins and regular mini candy bars too.
Chip & Salsa Servers: One of the coolest things I bought in Mexico was a ceramic chip and salsa server. It is shaped like a sombrero and has a large divot in the middle for the sause with a huge circular well around the outside for the chips. It is colorful and does a great job of presenting the food and keeping the chips in place. Some of the more expensive servers have a snap on bottom that keeps the salsa cold. Put this in the freezer for a few hours then attach it to the bottom.
Cactus Margarita Glasses: You can get them in 8 or 14 ounce sizes and they make for the perfect glasses for serving up drinks. I usually get a dozen of these and at the end of the night they are washed out and packed with homemade candies. You can also use them as party favors or decorations but they are made of plastic so they will break if they are thrown around.
Fiesta themed tableware: If you want to have coordinating plates, cups, nakpins and flatware you can get Fiesta themed sets at most party supply stores. If you want to go with something basic then get red or green combinations of items. Left over pieces can be used for other holidays (red for Valentine’s Day, green for Christmas etc). Buying the colored plates, napkins and flatware in bulk will save you a lot of money but make sure you will have a use for them at some point in time.
Make Your Own Maracas: You can get plain wooden maracas that can be colored or painted using markers or acrylic paints. These are nice to have if kids will be attending your party; it gives them something fun to do and something that they can take home with them. They aren’t extremely noisy but they are a lot of fun to paint.
Planning a Cinco de Mayo party doesn’t have to be frustrating or expensive. You can even do a “pot luck” party where everyone brings a different Mexican themed dish. To save even more money on decorations, shop after the holiday and stock up for next year!
Reference:
- Read more about the holiday here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinco_de_Mayo
- Stock up on supplies: www.orientaltrading.com
