Bella Worsham, 4, daughter of Jacy and Sarah Gary, helps herself to fajitas prepared by her grandparents, Bill and Chris Hulin.

It doesn’t have to be Cinco de Mayo to enjoy a Mexican celebration. Any night is a good night to have a fiesta.

Create a themed-meal with a Mexican menu and make it a family tradition or a special celebration with friends.

Decorate a table in bold colors set to a Mexican theme to create an impressive party ambiance and provide an assortment of flavorful Mexican dishes served buffet style and the evening will be memorable.

When Chris and Bill Hulin gather with family or just want to enjoy an evening with friends, the New Iberia couple often turns to an ethnic-themed meal to add variety and fun to a gathering.

“We enjoy getting together for a couple’s night on Friday evening with our friends Merlin and Carol Bodin. We usually decide on a particular food theme for the evening. Sometimes we will all get in the kitchen and do some of the cooking, but when it is steak night we leave the grilling to the men,” said Chris Hulin.

“Mexican food is always fun and one of our favorites. I like to fill a table with prepared burritos, fajitas or quesadillas and put out an assortment of toppings so guests can dress them as they want.”

By adding small dishes of guacamole, salsa, sour cream, lettuce, olives, chopped tomatoes, shredded cheese and cilantro to the buffet table, diners can add their own garnishments that appeal to their individual taste, she said.

Dips and chips and a bowl of tortilla soup complete the meal.

“I am always amazed at how you can use so much of the same ingredients when cooking Mexican food, but the dishes are all different,” said Bill Hulin.

For a large gathering, a similar Mexican buffet bar can be set up with hard and soft taco shells, warm flour tortillas and tortilla bowls, along with a variety of meats, vegetables and beans to allow guests to chose their own fillings.

Add an assortment of toppings and guests can create their own meal.

A make-your-own buffet will allow guests who are vegetarians, limited to certain foods due to allergies or have finicky palates, to find something appealing to their tastebuds.

“It’s all about having fun and enjoying a meal together,” said Chris Hulin.