A colorful colossus dangling from a tree and a blindfolded child whacking around with a stick in the hope of hitting the colossus. If this is successful, a load of confetti and sweets will appear. We’re talking about… That’s right, a piñata.
Origin
Almost everyone thinks of Mexico when they think of piñatas. However, the origin of the piñata is probably not in Mexico at all. The piñata is thought to have originated in China, where it was used to celebrate the New Year. Marco Polo brought this tradition to Spain and Italy, among others. The Spanish are said to have introduced the tradition to the Mexican people when they conquered Mexico.
However, a similar tradition already existed in Mexico. The Aztecs had the custom of placing a decorated earth pot filled with small valuables on a pole and breaking it to celebrate the birthday of their god of sun and war. The valuables that fell from the pot were offered to the god.
Shapes and Filling
Nowadays, piñatas can be bought and made in all shapes and sizes. A traditional piñata often looks nothing like the piñatas we see today.
The traditional (Mexican) shape of a piñata is a star with seven points. These seven points symbolize the seven sins.
A modern piñata often has the shape of an animal or a human. It is made of paper mache and painted in bright colors. A popular shape that you often see is a donkey.
Filling
A piñata was originally filled with fruits, sweets and possibly gifts. Nowadays, confetti and candies are a more common filling, possibly in combination with gifts. There are many fillings for piñatas available in many stores and on the Internet. You can also find many tips for filling a piñata on the internet.
Usage
As mentioned before, piñatas were used in China to celebrate the New Year. In Mexico, piñatas are often used for birthdays and Christmas, but also for other festive occasions such as Baptism. In the Netherlands too, a piñata is increasingly used at birthday parties.
The tradition of the piñata has changed. In the past, the piñata was mainly used in Mexico during Christmas and New Year . The piñata was soon also used at birthday parties. Nowadays a piñata is also used at a Baptism, Easter or Halloween.
Make your own piñatas
A piñata is easy to make yourself, but it does take some time. Depending on the material you want to make the piñata, the filling and the shape of the piñata, you will need a few days.
There are various sites and articles on the internet with great ideas for making piñatas. Tips and variations for the filling of the piñata are often mentioned here .