Cinco de Mayo is a Mexican holiday, which, when translated into English, simply means Fifth of May. This event commemorates an 1862 battle in Puebla, Mexico, where the ill-equipped and outnumbered Mexican army won an unexpected victory against a massive French army that had invaded seeking to claim war debts from Mexico. Although it is not widely or loudly celebrated in Mexico anymore, it remains popular in many parts of the United States as a general celebration of Mexican culture with parties, music, and traditional Mexican food. Americans sometimes confuse this day with Mexico's independence celebration, but that is a separate holiday in September.

If you are considering throwing your own Cinco de Mayo party, make sure you know what you want to accomplish by it. Is it a celebration of Mexican culture? If not, it might be easier to simply throw a simpler get-together without a Cinco de Mayo theme. If you do have an itch to celebrate Mexico, the planning is similar to any other party. It can be made all the more memorable and easy to organize if it has a unifying theme. Here are some theme ideas:

Mexican National Colors: Feature the colors of Mexico's flag: red, green, and white. Peppers, dips, and other snacks can brightly show off the theme colors. A big prominent Mexican flag, or a number of small ones, can easily tie a room's decorations together stylistically (and literally, if you use them to pin together streamers or to hold colorful tablecloths or napkins).

Music of Mexico: A Cinco de Mayo festival is not complete without traditional music and dance. If you can't afford or find a full mariachi band, the Internet (be it through Pandora or another recommendation service) can be your friend in finding music for sale that suits your guests' tastes as well as the day's festivities. A fun activity in this theme is to learn a traditional dance together.

A Taco Banquet: Easily the most famous food from Mexico, the taco is easy to make and can be made as traditional or creative as you like. Instead of preparing the tacos, set a table and put various fillings for tacos. Have flour, corn, soft and hard tortillas and a variety of toppings that suit your guests' tastes and also challenge them to try new things. And don't forget to check ahead if anyone has a food allergy or other diet restrictions! For taco ideas, consider these Oaxacan Tacos.