Many people celebrate Cinco de Mayo, but not all of them know why they are celebrating the holiday. Here are 10 things that people should know about the upcoming holiday.

1. The date

The holiday is celebrated every year on May 5. Those who know Spanish know that that date is the name of the holiday. "Cinco" in Spanish is five, and "Mayo" in Spanish means May. The correct translation is fifth of May.

2. The celebration

The day is to commemorate Mexican culture, food, and drink. However, people don't have to be Mexican to celebrate with their Mexican friends and neighbors.

The holiday is celebrated in Mexico, the United States and other parts of the world.

3. Celebration over a battle but not a war

May 5 is a holiday because the Mexicans won the battle in the Franco-Mexican war even though they were outnumbered by the French. Mexico won that particular battle on May 5, 1862, but not the war that ended five years later. Some people think Cinco De Mayo is to honor Mexico's independence, but that happened on September 16, 1810.

4. Not a federal holiday

May 5 is not a federal holiday. It is a minor state holiday in Mexico, but some Mexicans don't celebrate it. They treat it as just another day.

5. How the day is celebrated

Over the years, Cinco de Mayo has become a special time to celebrate Mexican heritage.

People enjoy different activities to commemorate the day. Entertainment comes in the form of parades, festivals, elaborate family feasts, parties, music, and traditional folk dancing. Part of the fun is to dress in Mexican attire.

6. Food

To celebrate the occasion, people eat a lot of avocados. The California Avocado Commission revealed that Americans eat up to 81 million pounds of avocados on May 5 every year.

7. Drink

Tequila is the drink of choice for most residents of Mexico -- where it originated.

The Daily Mail reported that Americans drink twice as much of the beverage as Mexicans. A whole lot of tequila is usually consumed on Cinco de Mayo.

8. Parties

Parties are held around the world, especially in big cities. The world's largest party is held in Los Angeles. However, other large cities such as Chicago, Denver, Houston, New York and Phoenix also have Cinco de Mayo parties.

9. More popular in the US

One would think more celebrations would be in Mexico than in the United States. The day is celebrated more in the United States because there are many Mexican-Americans living there. Besides, President Franklin Roosevelt helped to make it popular in the United States with his "Good Neighbor Policy" in 1933.

10. On Saturday

This year, Cinco de Mayo comes on a Saturday. Some people will dress up in Mexican attire, have parties the entire weekend, eat lots of Mexican food, and enjoy Mexican drinks. Check your local Mexican restaurants to see what specials they offer.
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