Mexico's 100th Anniversary of the Revolution and 200th Anniversary of Independence

The 15th of September in Mexico is a very important day each year in Mexico, however this year it was extra special due to it being the 100th anniversary of their revolution and the 200th anniversary of their independence. While the 15th of September was the big day and we celebrated with a fiesta at home with all the family, the entire month of September is a festival month here.

The streets are festooned with red, white and blue streamers, lights and all kinds of decorations and there are flags everywhere. Buildings and shops have flags flying high, while many homes and cars are also proudly displaying the flag.

Our fiesta was typical in that preparations began several days before and was a cooperative effort. We began by ordering the pig head for the pozole from the market and decorating the house for the fiesta. On the day of the 15th my fiance's Mum,  his Aunt and I began the pozole preparations in the morning by chopping up lots of ingredients and putting a huge pot of pozole (made of very large special corn kernels) on the stove for boil and simmer throughout the day. The pig head, pork bones and other pork meat was added midway through the day and other female relatives arrived later in the day to monitor the progress of the pozole and add other ingredients to ensure the taste was just right.

Guests began arriving from about 5pm, before party preparations were complete, however, that is not a problem here as people know if they arrive early they will probably be given a job, rather than any food or drink. More guests arrived before dinner, bringing with them more components of the meal which they had offered to supply. We served the first round of dinner, consisting of pozole and tostadas, at approximately 8pm and again and again as guests continued to arrive until about 10pm. After dinner, the family room was cleared of tables and chairs and we danced until the party ended.

As guests left they were given pozole to take home and invited to return the next day for more pozole. So the following day after rising late and cleaning up a little, most of our guests returned and we had more pozole and tostadas for lunch and partied on all afternoon and into the early evening. Our guests were packed off with more pozole and we have some in the freezer for another day. All in all an enjoyable fiesta which took place over days and fed many of us many times over.