Cinco de Mayo 2020 may look a little different this year. Instead of gathering at a friend or neighbor’s house, many people are hosting online parties to maintain social distance. Are you wondering how to throw a fiesta-worthy celebration virtually from the comfort of your Inspirada home? These tips will help you feel as if everyone was in the same room.
Decorate Your Space
Set the tone for your Cinco de Mayo party with festive decorations. Even though the celebration may be virtual this year, that doesn’t mean you have to skip decorating your space! Try this printable banner or grab a pair of scissors and some tissue paper to create your own papel picado. This traditional Mexican art form is made the same way you would make snowflake cutouts. Simply fold various colors of tissue paper and make different cuts. Use some string to hang up your decorations to add some festive flair to your party space.
Plan Some Games
Are you looking to play some Cinco de Mayo party games? Lotería is a fun bingo-like game that uses a colorful deck of cards and patterned boards. The announcer will give hints about the images on the cards, and players will mark the spot with a chip (or an uncooked bean). The first player to get four chips in a row and call out “¡Lotería!” wins. Another virtual game that your guests can take part in is good old-fashioned trivia. Test your knowledge about the country to find out just how much you really know about Mexico!
Show off Your Eats
Although Cinco de Mayo honors a Mexican military victory, you’re likely to encounter a celebration that often centers around delicious food like taquitos, tacos, quesadillas, and more. Of course, your party is not complete without some chips and salsa! Remind everyone to come prepared with their favorite homemade salsa recipe and demonstrate how to make it — hey, if you can’t taste it, you might as well learn how to recreate it at home!
Bonus tip: Some restaurants are posting their recipes online so that you can make your favorite Mexican-inspired dishes from the comfort of your Inspirada home.
Make a Playlist
In addition to festive decorations and food, you’ll also need a music playlist for the occasion. Curate songs on a platform like Spotify and include some songs by popular Mexican, Mexican-American, or Latino artists such as Santana, Selena, Juan Gabriel, and more. Don’t forget to include some traditional tunes like mariachi. Send the playlist to your guests and have them add their picks to the list. Additionally, Pandora offers users lists of specific Cinco de Mayo playlists you can choose from.
Set up Your Video Chat
Connect your computer to the big screen so that you don’t have to hunch over a laptop. When it feels like there is a life-sized person on the other end, it helps conversations feel more lifelike. Use an HDMI cable to use your TV as a monitor instead. If you own a smart TV, you can connect over Wi-Fi and stream the content of your display. Be sure to test your connection before your video call and disconnect any unused devices to increase your bandwidth in order to improve the quality of your video chat.