I don’t celebrate Cinco de Mayo with the same vim that I used to, but it remains one of my favorite holidays. It might have something to do with the fact that I’ll drink a margarita any day, any time, because it really is always 5 o’clock somewhere. I’ve even found a bunch of super fun, family-friendly, easy DIY Cinco de Mayo party ideas from crafts to decorations to very yummy recipes, all of which make me love it even more.
Check them out, so you can do the same. With a margarita on the side. Even a virgin one.
Decorate!
Set the mood by stringing colorful garland around the house. I love this colorful fiesta garland from the PaperAltar Etsy shop. They’re not cheap, but can easily be reused for a birthday party or any celebration.
If you’d rather save the money for extra guacamole (yum) you can make this DIY Cinco de Mayo party garland spied on Lovely Indeed. It looks super easy which means a lot, coming from this craft-impaired mama.
Talk about easy: give your Cinco de Mayo table festive flair with a clever lime place card idea from Real Simple. This is so simple (real simple) that you can do it even if you’re just setting the table for your own family.
Craft!
A simple craft activity with the kids can turn any afternoon into a rockin’ party. And projects don’t get more doable than this colleciton of easy Cinco de Mayo crafts that we rounded up for you last year. I mean, what kid wouldn’t want to make a DIY mini piñata?
If you have plastic Easter eggs still lying around, turn them into Cinco de Mayo maracas. Brilliant.
Eat!
The most important Cinco de Mayo food is, hands down, guacamole. And it is so incredibly easy to whip up yourself. Check out one of these 5 amazing homemade guacamole recipes and make sure the avocados are perfectly ripe by May 5.
Get in the kitchen with your kids to make homemade tortillas. This is one of the easiest kitchen projects ever, promise, and it’s especially great to do with kids. You’ll be amazed at what they’ll eat if it’s stuffed inside of tortillas that they made by hand. Kale tacos anyone?
One cannot survive on guacamole alone. Okay, I can, but it doesn’t quite make a complete family dinner, so throw in these Black and White Tacos from Foodie Bride. It doesn’t get more simple or affordable, and they can be prepped ahead.
If you’re craving a different taco filling, go for it. Make your favorite and then, instead of filling taco shells or soft tortillas, pile the filling into bowl-shaped tortilla chips to make taco bites. I make Taco Bites, which you can find on my site One Hungry Mama, using a simple ground beef and black bean filling.
End your meal with a sweet paleta, a Latin American style popsicle. These creative and very pretty Cinco de Mayo Paletas from Girlichef stack strawberry, coconut and—of all things—avocado layers. Yum. You could also layer juices in a Zoku popsicle maker for a quick, easy cheat.
Drink!
You know where this is going, right? Straight to Margaritaville. If you love margaritas as much as I do, trust me that you’ll have to look no further for margarita recipes. Ever. Visit our post on fabulous Cinco de Mayo margarita recipes for some of the best ideas I’ve seen, including the classic pictured here, made with a surprising secret ingredient.
I also like these 7 sophisticated margarita recipes that are more for sipping than however you might have imbibed in college. Think cucumber, grapefruit, and even lemongrass varieties of this classic cocktail.
If margaritas sounds delicious but like way too much work, you need to pick up a bottle (or two) of Laughing Glass Cocktails pre-made margaritas. They might sound sketchy, but allow me to reassure you that this stuff, made with super premium Blanco tequila and organic agave, is totally delicious. I know because I’ve been lucky enough to try it. Without any artificial ingredients, preservatives or colors, this award-winning drink is all natural goodness that’s totally worth the shortcut. And the 100 calories per 4-ounce serving is too.
You didn’t think we’d keep you pregnant mamas and non-drinkers hanging, did you? (Oh, yeah, and the kids, too!) This Watermelon Lime Agua Fresca from our friends at the The Kitchn is the perfect mocktail for the non-alcoholic set. Delicious, refreshing and festive.
