Yahoo! Telemundo Mujer de Hoy

By Stephanie Ozaeta and Violeta Gutierrez

Cinco de Mayo is party time! If you don't want to attend one of the massive street parties that are being held throughout the country, you can still commemorate this celebration in the privacy of your home with friends and family. Our simple suggestions will help you host a party with Mexican flair. Sit back, relax and let the fiesta begin!

Set the Tone for the Evening with the Right Decorations
Add a palate of festive colors to create a cheery atmosphere for your party. You can do this in an easy and relatively inexpensive way by purchasing paper plates and napkins in coordinating Mexican themed colors. Two color schemes that we'd suggest are the traditional red, white and green of the Mexican flag or a more festive scheme including oranges, greens and yellows. You can also purchase inexpensive garlands, confetti and buntings to match your color scheme at any party supply store for a more polished look.

If you've got some extra cash to spend on decorations, you can create centerpieces with a terracotta pot, a mini chili pepper plant, which you can find at your local gardening supply store, and some festive ribbons. Galvanized metal buckets for ice and glass margarita pitchers are both functional and stylish decorative elements.

How to Set Your Table and What to Serve
To create a simple and stress-free experience for your guests, convert your dining room table into a buffet table. First, make sure you use a table pad to protect your furniture as some of the dishes you will be serving will be hot. Then, place a tablecloth in a color complimentary to the palate you are using on the table. If you don't have one, don?t worry! You can purchase a few yards of festive fabric at a crafts store and create an impromptu tablecloth. Add your centerpieces, the plates, napkins, cutlery and food and you?re all set.

Speaking of food, a few suggestions for your menu include:
- Guacamole and tortilla chips
- Gouda Cheese Quesadillas
- Seven Layer Dip
- Cheese-Filled Peppers
- Bean and Pepper Burritos

While many of these dishes are available in the frozen foods section of your local supermarket, we invite you to try the above recipes as they are easy to make and absolutely delicious!

A Bevy of Beverages
When you think of drinks, Cinco de Mayo conjures up thoughts of beer, Tequila and of course Margaritas!

Today there are about a million ways to make a Margarita. You can find recipes to create your perfect Margarita ranging from classic options to those with exotic flavors like mango, blueberry or even watermelon by checking out this special section of Yahoo! Food.

As far as beer goes, you'll want to serve some traditional Mexican favorites at your fiesta, so we suggest Corona, XX, Negra Modelo or Tecate. Other good beverage options are red wine, sangria and an assortment of soft drinks for minors and non-alcohol drinkers. 

Music is the Life of the Party
When it comes to music, your options are endless. If you want to host a more-upscale event, I suggest you play some classic Mariachi music at low volume to create a festive yet-refined ambiance.

If you want to get down and boogie, you should stick with some Mexican and Latin American classics like Maná, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Paulina Rubio and Ricky Martin. You can find a wide assortment of Latin artists at Yahoo! Radio, so get ready to shake those hips!

Well friends, there you have it. We're confident that by following our suggestions, you're sure to host the party of the year! Get ready to have some fun with your friends and family and don't forget... ¡Que viva México!

 
More on Cinco de Mayo:

A Cinco de Mayo Feast

Healthy Cinco de Mayo

The Gringo's Guide to Cinco de Mayo

Movies With a Mexican Flair

Find a Cinco de Mayo Celebration in Your Area 

Photos from Puebla