5 Ways to celebrate Cinco de Mayo

May 5th, which falls on a Thursday in 2016, is Cinco de Mayo. This holiday commemorates a military victory that took place during the Franco-Mexican War in which the outnumbered Mexican troops halted France’s army. Festivities in U.S. communities with high Mexican-American populations tend to be bigger than those in Mexico (Cinco de Mayo is a minor holiday in its native country) and are often full of parades and historic reenactments of the battle. In fact, the prevalence of Cinco de Mayo in the U.S. just goes to show how much of an influence Mexican culture has had on its neighboring country. If you’re observing the holiday, here are four ways to honor it:

1. Color your home
Mexico celebrates Cinco de Mayo with colors galore, including, of course, red, green and white. Bring the joy of the holiday to your home by sporting bright and saturated tones. While the colors of the Mexican flag are a good place to start, yellow, pink, orange and blue are also up for grabs.

One way to bring the brilliant hues into your home and also enjoy spring, is to decorate with fresh Cinco de Mayo flowers. Any brightly colored bouquet will make a beautiful addition to the festivities. Check out Teleflora promo code now

2. Prepare an authentic meal
The conflict that took place on Cinco de Mayo in 1862 is also known as the Battle of Puebla, named after the town where the event occurred. Many celebrations of Mexico’s victory include dishes native to the area, such as mole poblano. After all, according to Business Insider, Puebla is the foodie capital of Mexico,so whipping up traditional cuisine is both a tasty and appropriate way enjoy the day.

Chicken tinga, chalupas and molotes are all other iconic foods to try on Cinco de Mayo. Do some research into ingredients that are native to Puebla to plan your menu.

3. Go to a museum
To truly understand the history of Cinco de Mayo, or to better appreciate Mexican culture, consider seeking out a Mexican-American museum or cultural center in your community. See if the locale is holding any festivities or hosting special exhibits. If not, you can still learn a lot from the material already available.

This is also a great celebration option for families with kids, as your little ones will have the opportunity to explore a new culture. Call the museum ahead of time to see if it has programs for kids. You can also create a worksheet before going to the museum for your children to fill out while you’re there.

4. Enjoy local festivities
In addition to observing Mexican culture by visiting a museum, you can experience Mexican-American traditions by checking out festivities where you live. Whether it’s attending a parade or watching a re-enactment of the Battle of Puebla, you’re sure to find something new and exciting if you live in a diverse community.

If your town doesn’t observe Cinco de Mayo with as much flair, you can watch parades on TV or online to enjoy the celebrations.

5. Attend a concert
Discover another part of Mexican culture by attending a concert. Not only will seeing live mariachi give you more insight into Mexican culture, but it also supports the artists and can be a fun time – few things are more energizing than live music.

5 ways to celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week

Teachers are such an integral part of every person’s life. They’re the ones who introduce you to new ideas, help you discover life-long passions and encourage you to do your best. That’s why Teacher Appreciation Week, which takes place between May 2nd and 6th, 2016, is so special. It’s a time when we get to thank educators for the hard and important work they do. Whether you have a child in school or a particular teacher who influenced your life, you or your kids can say “thanks” with these ideas:

1. Volunteer
Adults can show a teacher their appreciation by volunteering their time. Easy ways to lend a helping hand include cleaning the classroom when school is over, joining group projects, reading with individual students and chaperoning field trips. You may not be able to squeeze in volunteer time during this week, but you can let educators know you want to help when they need you.

2. Start a fundraiser
Many teachers are responsible for funding their own classrooms. While some get a small budget from their school, they still need extra money for notebooks, craft supplies, books, etc. Putting together a fundraiser to ensure educators have the money they need is a practical way to show appreciation. Reach out to other parents to pool your resources. Or, ask a teacher what he or she specifically needs and commit to providing at least one item on the list.

3. Give a gift
You and your child can pick out a gift for his or her teacher. Of course, with so many options, it can be difficult to decide what to buy. Brainstorm both practical and universally loved gifts, such as these:

Gift cards
It’s hard to go wrong with a gift card, as you can purchase one for virtually any store. Cards to coffee shops and restaurants are always safe options.

Flowers
Flowers can brighten either the classroom or a teacher’s home, and they’re in bloom just in time for Teacher Appreciation Week. Make sure your child’s teacher doesn’t have allergies, then look for a cheerful bouquet to bring a smile to his or her face.

Speaking of joyful flowers, Teleflora’s Be Happy Bouquet With Roses and Sunny Mood Bouquet both make for uplifting gifts. The former features roses and daisies arranged inside of a smiley-face mug. When the flowers have wilted, the teacher can still enjoy your gift by filling it with coffee. The latter includes roses and lilies resting inside Teleflora’s Color Splash cube, a modern and versatile glass vase. 20% OFF All Flowers Sitewide with Teleflora coupon code! Ends Dec 31.2016!

Desk tools
A personalized stationery set, nice pens or monogrammed stamp may not be strictly essential to teaching, but they’re thoughtful gifts nonetheless. Such presents are out of the ordinary, so they’re sure to make a teacher feel appreciated. Let your child help you wrap the item and give it to his or her teacher.

4. Write a letter
Though writing a letter may be the simplest way to honor an educator, it is by no means any less meaningful. Letters are especially good for adults who are reaching out to teachers with whom they have been out of touch.

Write to a former teacher
If you’re writing a teacher who impacted your life, tell him or her about the moments that meant the most to you. Additionally, explain how this person helped shape who you are today. Reading about a student who went on to do great things is sure to warm the heart of any teacher.

Write to your child’s teacher
Both you and your child can write to his or her teacher. Your letter can thank him or her for educating your son or daughter. This note should have similar thanks, but it can be handmade and creative.

5. Make something
Young children can craft a gift for their teacher. Brainstorm some projects your child can do at home and transport to the classroom. For instance, he or she can decorate a jar to turn it into a pencil holder or make art to hang in the classroom.

5 ideas for hosting a graduation party

Your child has put so much hard work into his or her education, and it’s finally time to celebrate! That’s right: It’s graduation season, which means you may have some party planning ahead of you. Here are five ideas for making your bash one your graduate will never forget:

1. Make a social media hashtag
​Your guests will likely snap party photos from their phones. Encourage everyone to share their images on social media with a unique event hashtag. For instance, you might make yours #LaurenKGradBash2016. Then, everyone who posts an image on Twitter or Instagram can include that hashtag, allowing you and other partygoers to search the hashtag to see photos.

Ideally, your hashtag will have the grad’s name, a mention of the party and the year in which it takes place. Before you start circulating your hashtag, search the term on social media to make sure it’s not already being used. You may have to be creative if your original idea has already been taken.

Once you decide on a hashtag, let your guests know what it is. You can include it in your party invitations, or post signs throughout the event that include the hashtag. Once the celebration is over, go through the images online and save any you want to keep for yourself.

2. Decorate with school colors
From ordering fresh flowers to hanging garlands to choosing tablecloths, your decorations offer plenty of opportunities to sport school colors. When it comes to placing flowers throughout the party, you have options. Either pick bouquets that combine both school colors, or choose one arrangement with one shade and one with the other.

Teleflora’s Beautiful in Blue bouquet includes a mixture of white and blue flowers, perfect for a school with the same hues. Or, does your child’s school sport red? Then go with Teleflora’s Rose Classique arrangement. When ordering graduation flowers online, you’ll have plenty of appropriate and beautiful options from which to choose. Save 20% OFF sitewide with code. Offer valid through 5/31/2016. Click here

In addition to themed decor, your food and beverage choices can also feature school colors.

3. Celebrate accomplishments
While in school, your kids may have gone above and beyond to achieve great things. From winning sports championships to earning academic recognition to earning a high rank in extracurricular activities. No matter what accolades your grads have received, you can celebrate them at your party!

Set up a trophy table where you can place the physical evidence of your children’s achievements. Also include photos from throughout their educational journey or any artwork they created. If the party is a few weeks after the commencement ceremony, you can even put out their diploma, graduation cap and photos from the big day.

This accomplishments table allows family and friends who may not be aware of all your kids have done to learn about their journey.

4. Look ahead
While reminiscing about everything that got your child to where he or she is now is a fun way to celebrate, you should also look ahead to the future. Graduation parties are meant to send the graduate out with joy, so prep your son or daughter for the next step. For instance, you can put out pens and colorful stationery where guests can write advice or well-wishes. Include a box or jar where everyone can deposit his or her note. Your child can take that treasure trove of kind words wherever he or she goes next.

5. Build a photo booth
Make some new memories by installing a photo booth at the party. This can be as simple as putting up a backdrop on a wall and letting guests take selfies in front of it, or as elaborate as including props and asking one person to be the designated photographer. No matter what route you take, make sure your photo booth fits the theme. For instance, your backdrop can be a chalkboard or include a banner that says “Class of 2016.” Additionally, make sure your booth is large enough for your child and his or her friends to pose together.

If you did make a hashtag, put a sign with the phrase near the photo booth so partygoers will remember to use it.