Cinco de Mayo is a Mexican holiday that has gained widespread popularity in the United States. It marks the triumph of the Mexican army over France at the Battle of Puebla in 1862 and is celebrated each year on May 5th.
Cinco de Mayo’s Popularity Rise in the United States
Despite Cinco de Mayo being celebrated primarily in Puebla, one of Mexico’s 31 states, the commemoration has gained popularity in the United States. The holiday has taken off in the United States over the last century, with many using it as an excuse to feast on delicious Mexican cuisine.
Following the Mexican Civil War in 1915, Mexicans that immigrated to the United States established settlements in the southern states. They brought their culture, traditions, and holidays such as Cinco de Mayo. Upon witnessing an unfamiliar culture, Americans began celebrating Cinco de Mayo with their Mexican neighbors.
Ways to Celebrate Cinco de Mayo at your Store
Due to the popularity of Cinco de Mayo, you can use it to your advantage, like any other holiday and season. It can create employee engagement and an opportunity to celebrate this occasion within your store. To ensure that you and your staff stay in the occasion’s spirit, here are six fascinating ways to celebrate Cinco de Mayo in your store.
Explain the Significance
Most Americans typically use Cinco de Mayo as an excuse to eat tacos and sip margaritas, while entirely overlooking its cultural significance and origins. Before you prepare to celebrate this occasion in your store, take a few minutes to inform your customers about the significance of this holiday and why it must be celebrated respectfully.
You could do so by decorating your store with historical graphics and text snippets that explain the origins of Cinco de Mayo. You could spread the word about your store’s theme-based celebration of Cinco de Mayo with flags and other advertising tools.
Use Mexican Lingo
Ask your staff to use common Spanish words when having conversations with each other or the customers. Prepare a list of frequently used phrases with their Spanish translations, such as gracias (thank you) and hola (hello).
Yet another great way to raise the stakes is by using a ‘swear jar’ system, in which a dollar would get added each time someone from your staff uses the English version of a word instead. The one with the highest amount at the day’s end bears a light-hearted punishment.
Theme-Based Decoration Competition
Everyone enjoys healthy competition, and you must leverage this by splitting your staff into teams and hosting a contest for the best Mexican-themed decoration. Besides it being a competition, you could then use all decorative items to hang in your store. You could also set up canopies outside your store and ask your staff to set up all the theme-based decorative items.
Notify your staff members a few days in advance and watch your store get transformed magically into a stretch of vibrant flags, artwork, ornaments, and other items. Reward your winners by incentivizing them in the form of bonuses, gift hampers, and more.
Quiz Time
Such occasions are just what people need to brag about their knowledge of that holiday. Harness this potential and transform it into a store quiz around famous Mexican people, cities, history, and landmarks.
See if your staff is familiar with the filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa, or the football player Claudio Suárez. Ask them if they know the traditional national sport of Mexico, which is a type of equestrian called charreria.
Meals and Drinks
Be it Cinco de Mayo or any other occasion, the best way to kick start a party is with good food and drinks. Your staff is in luck in this situation since Mexican food is full of wild and savory flavors that are quick to prepare. Bundle up on the plates of nachos, tacos, and tortillas, and pour yourselves some energizing margaritas.
Team-Bonding Activities
Use this occasion to organize team-building activities in your store and strengthen the bond between your staff. With a plethora of options to explore, one such instance would be to arrange a group Mexican cooking class with a sampling of classic Mexican beverages. Consider even hiring a local Mariachi band to add to the ambiance to the party.
Eventually, your store employees will get into the Cinco de Mayo spirit and tap their feet to Mexican music together as a team. Cinco de Mayo is the ideal occasion to boost employee engagement and team-building while rejoicing each moment.
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