Cinco Días de Muertos...?

So, I am writing this mini holiday history lesson in the hopes of clarifying a confusion before it is passed along as fact.

Cinco de Mayo, Fifth of May, celebrates the victory of Mexican forces over the second French Empire at the battle of Puebla in 1862. Quite popular in the US, it is overshadowed in Mexico by Mexican Independence Day, the most important national holiday in Mexico, which is celebrated on September 16, commemorating the Cry of Dolores in 1810, which started the war of Mexican independence from Spain.

El Día de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, is celebrated on November 1st and 2nd. It may also occur on October 31 or November 6, depending on the region. On this holiday, Mexican families and friends get together to remember and pay respects to their deceased. It is a time of joyful remembrance rather than grief and mourning. Celebrations often include the favorite foods and drinks of the deceased. Perhaps even the Cinco de Mayo favorite, margaritas... :-)