Days of Celebration

Today is "Día del Niño"... Children's Day... in Mexico.  It has been observed every year on April 30th since 1924 when a proclamation was made by President Alvaro Obregón and Education Minister José Vasconcelos.  Alejandro´s nephew has school today, but it will be a day long "fiesta" for him and his classmates.  Alejandro was somewhat surprised that we do not have something similar in the United States.

Tomorrow, May 1st, is Mexico's equivalent to our Labor Day in the United States.  It is one of the few legal holidays in which the date does not change in order to create a three-day weekend.  Schools, banks, federal offices, and many businesses are closed, and parades organized by labor unions are held.

Saturday, May 5th... "Cinco de Mayo"... commemorates the Mexican victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla in 1862.  (Hopefully, by this time, enough articles have been written about the day's significance that "gringos" no longer think that it is Mexican Independence Day!)  Outside of the state of Puebla, "Cinco de Mayo" is not a legal holiday.  However, in the Mexico City neighborhood of San Juan de Aragón (where Alejandro lives) a reenactment of the battle between the Mexicans and the French is staged, and the sound of rifles and fireworks is already a noisy annoyance to Alejandro and his family.

May 10th is Mexico's Mother's Day.  The celebration is a fixed date unlike Mother's Day in the United States which is always on a Sunday.  It will most surely be a sad occasion for Alejandro and his family since he lost his mother three months ago.