A LITTLE PIECE OF MEXICO

The Mexican Piñata

Did you know? Piñatas are traditionally made out of cardboard or clay pots and decorated with five to seven paper cones and colored paper. They're filled with fruit, candy and small gifts, and then hung up for party-goers to try to break open with a stick.
Piñatas have been used to celebrate national holidays, birthdays and Christmas for many years in Mexico. In fact, the Aztecs used a type of piñata to honor their god of war. They decorated a clay pot with feathers and filled it with fruits and precious stones. Piñatas are also a Catholic tradition in Mexico. Piñatas with seven cones have long been used in Mexican Catholic festivals to represent the rejection of the seven capital sins and the triumph of good over evil. Five-pointed star piñatas are a reminder of the star that led the three wise men to Bethlehem to see Baby Jesus.

Today, the piñata tradition has spread around the world, reaching South America, Europe and Asia.