Kids' Krafts: Doll celebrates Cinco de Mayo

(MCT) Although Cinco de Mayo is not considered a major holiday in America, it is very important to some of the more than 22 million Hispanic Americans who live in the United States.

Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for the Fifth of May), is a holiday many celebrate with parades and festivals. It commemorates the victory of the Mexican army over invading French at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.

The French, under the guise of landing in Mexico to collect old debts, were ordered to stay by Emperor Napoleon III and lay claim to the land for the French government.

The French army, which had never been defeated in 50 years, attacked Mexico City and assumed that Mexico would not resist. Napoleon expected the Mexicans would allow the country to fall to French rule, as did most European countries.

That didn't happen. When the battle was over, with many French killed or wounded, the Mexicans declared a decisive victory.

Whether or not you are of Spanish-speaking descent, you can make this Mexican dancing doll, which I found at crafts.kaboose.com/clothespin-mexican-dancing-doll.html to celebrate Cinco de Mayo.

Supplies you will need:

2 coffee filters.

Yellow paint and brush.

Red, green and blue markers or crayons.

Wooden doll pin and stand.

Brown chenille stem.

Black yarn.

Craft glue.

Red and black fine point markers.

Paint the coffee filters yellow and set aside to dry.

Glue the pin into the stand.

When filters are dry, color stripes around the outer edges of one of the filters in red, green and blue.

Cut the chenille stem in half. Wrap one piece around the pin at arm height and hold with glue.

Fold the decorated filter in half once, then fold in half again. Cut a small section out of the center to create a hole for the head, then cut a larger section (2 inches) from the center to form a blouse. Place the blouse on the doll, drape around the pin and glue to hold.