History of the PInata 

Most people think of piñatas as a fun activity for parties. The history of the piñata reveals many interesting facts that go beyond the playing of a game, although piñatas certainly have been intended for fun.

Piñatas may have originated in China. Marco Polo discovered the Chinese fashioning figures of cows, oxen or buffaloes, covered with colored paper and adorned with harnesses and trappings. Special colors traditionally greeted the New Year. When the mandarins knocked the figure hard with sticks of various colors, seeds spilled forth. After burning the remains, people gathered the ashes for good luck throughout the year.

When this custom passed into Europe in the 14th century, it adapted to the celebrations of Lent. The first Sunday became ‘Piñata Sunday’. The Italian word ‘pignatta’ means "fragile pot." Originally, piñatas fashioned without a base resembled clay containers for carrying water. Some say this is the origin of the traditional pineapple shape. Also the Latin prefix ‘piña’ implies a cluster of flowers or fruits as in ‘pineapples’ and ‘pine cones’.

When the custom spread to Spain, the first Sunday in Lent became a fiesta called the ‘Dance of the Piñata’. The Spanish used a clay container called la olla, the Spanish word for pot. At first, la olla was not decorated. Later, ribbons, tinsel and fringed paper were added and wrapped around the pot.

At the beginning of the 16th century the Spanish missionaries to North America used the piñata to attract converts to their ceremonies. However indigenous peoples already had a similar tradition. To celebrate the birthday of the Aztec god of war, Huitzilopochtli, priests placed a clay pot on a pole in the temple at year's end. Colorful feathers adorned the richly decorated pot, filled with tiny treasures.. When broken with a stick or club, the treasures fell to the feet of the god's image as an offering. The Mayans, great lovers of sport played a game where the player’s eyes were covered while hitting a clay pot suspended by string. The missionaries ingeniously transformed these games for religious instruction. They covered the traditional pot with colored paper, giving it an extraordinary, perhaps fearful appearance.

The decorated clay pot also called a cantero represents Satan who often wears an attractive mask to attract humanity. The most traditional style piñata looks a bit like Sputnik, with seven points, each with streamers. These cones represent the seven deadly sins, pecados - greed, gluttony, sloth, pride, envy, wrath and lust. Beautiful and bright, the piñata tempted. Candies and fruits inside represented the cantaros (temptations)of wealth and earthly pleasures.

Thus, the piñata reflected three theological virtues in the catequismo. (religious instruction or catechism)

The blindfolded participant represents the leading force in defying evil, ‘Fe’, faith, which must be blind. People gathered near the player and spun him around to confuse his sense of space. Sometimes the turns numbered thirty three in memory of the life of Christ. The voices of others cry out guidance:

¡Más arriba!More upwards!
¡Abajo! Lower!
¡Enfrente! In front!

Some call out engaños (deceits, or false directions) to disorient the hitter.

Secondly the piñata served as a symbol of ‘Esperanza’, Hope.

With the piñata hanging above their heads, people watched towards los cielos (sky or heaven) yearning and waiting for the prize. The stick for breaking the piñata symbolized virtue, as only good can overcome evil. Once broken, the candies and fruits represented the just reward for keeping faith.

Finally the piñata symbolized ‘Caridad’, Charity. With its eventual breaking, everyone shared in the divine blessings and gifts.

The moral of the piñata: all are justified through faith.

Today, the piñata has lost its religious symbolism and most participate in the game solely for fun. Piñatas are especially popular during Las Posadas, traditional processions ringing in the Christmas season and at birthday parties. During festivities, people traditionally sing songs while breaking the piñatas.

“Dale, dale, dale, no perdas el tino,
porque si lo perdes, pierdes el camino.
Esta piñata es de muchas mañas, sólo contiene naranjas y cañas.”

Hit, hit, hit.
Don’t lose your aim,
Because if you lose, you lose the road.
This piñata is much manna, only contains oranges and sugar cane.”

Another popular song for hitting the piñata is rooted in the year 1557 when dignitaries of Felipe II toured towns in New Spain. While exacting pledges of allegiance, coins of nickel were offered for coins of silver. This failed to please the people so as they break piñatas during las posadas, they sing:

"No quiero níquel ni quiero plata:
yo lo que quiero es romper la piñata."
“I don’t want nickel/I don’t want silver
I only want to break the piñata…”

Piñatascan be found in all shapes and sizes. Modern ones often represent cartoon or other characters known to most children. Others are shaped like fruits, baskets, rockets etc. Sometimes people of political statue are satirized. At Christmas, star-shaped piñatas suggestive of the Star of Bethlehem are especially popular. One’s imagination is the creative limit.

Traditionally, piñatas are filled with both candies and fruits. Around Christmas in Mexico, wrapped candies, peanuts, guavas, oranges, jicamas(a sweet root vegetable), sugar cane, and tejocotes (a kind of crab apple) stuff piñatas. Some types of piñatas called traps, are stuffed with flour, confetti or ‘flowery water’. Any child without a treat after the goodies are gathered from the ground is given a little basket full of special candy. These colaciónes are kept on hand to avoid hurt feelings and tears. The rest of the treats are passed around to everyone before the party is over.

Towns of potters once existed to fashion ‘ ollas piñateras’, bare clay pots sold in the mercado. (market) People took them home and pasted their own colored paper to them. Cardboard and paper maché often fashioned over balloons has replaced ‘ la olla’ in many modern piñatas.

The piñata’s versatility contributes to its perennial popularity. Fashioned from a long tradition the joyous piñata continues to enchant celebrations and parties around the world.

In Mexico you will hear parents and children singing this special Piñata song.

"Dale, dale, dale, no pierdas el tino,
porque si lo pierdes, pierdes el camino.
Esta piñata es de muchas mañas, sólo contiene naranjas y cañas."
La piñata tiene caca,
Tiene caca:
Cacahuates de a montón.
Esta piñata es de muchas mañas,
Sólo contiene naranjas y cañas.
No quiero oro, ni quiero plata,
Yo lo que quiero es romper la piñata.
Ándale Juana, no te dilates
Con la canasta de los cacahuates.
Anda María, sal del rincón
Con la canasta de la colación.
En esta posada nos hemos chasqueado
Porque Teresita nada nos ha dado.
Echen confites y canelones,
a los muchachos que son muy tragones.
Todos los muchachos rezaron con devoción,
De chochos y confites les dan ya su ración.
Castaña asada, piña cubierta;
Echen a palos a los de la puerta.
Ándale Juan, sal de la hornilla
Con la botella de la manzanilla.
De los cerritos y los cerrotes,
Saltan y brincan los tejocotes.
Andale niña, sal otra vez
Con la botella del vino jerez.
Esta posada le tocó a Carmela:
si no da nada le saco una muela.

Piñata Images Copyright © 1999 Maria Elena.
All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
http://mariaelena-art.hypermart.net 

How to Expand and Fill your Personalized Piñata 

At the top of your personalized piñata is a plastic loop handle. Pulling up on this plastic handle will expand the piñata and secure it in an open position to hold as much candy and goodies as you need. 

 Once your personalized piñata is fully expanded, look for the small concealed opening marked with a sticker "FILL HERE" just to the side of the handle at the top of the pinata.  Gently pull the tab or press down on this spot through the tissue paper to uncover the opening. This spot will usually give to gentle pressure. If you have trouble opening the tab, using a sharp utility knife or scissors to cut a U shaped opening on this spot.  

 Slowly fill your personalized pinata with whatever goodies you have planned. A rule of thumb is a handful of candy/toys per participant.  The trap door at the bottom of the piñata is 2” square, so if you plan to play the pull-pinata game, you will want to make sure the goodies you’ve include in your piñata can pass through the trap door.

Have fun!

What were the first piñatas made out of?

The first piñatas were actually dried clay pots or jars filled with candy and wrapped fruit.

Where did piñatas originate from?

Click on “Pinata History” in the ResourceCenter to trace the entire history of the piñata.

How much candy does a piñata hold?

A typical piñata will hold two pounds of candy or toys, or a combination of each.  The rule of thumb is to allow a handful of candy for each participant, but be sure to save a little candy to ensure each participant gets a share of the goodies!

What is the world’s largest piñata?

On November 2, 2008, spectators in Philadelphia, Pennsylvaniagot to experience the record-breaking piñata created for a Carnival Cruise Line television commercial. Breaking the Guinness Record for the world's largest pinata, according to an onsite Guinness adjudicator, the giant mock donkey measured 28.5 meters long; 7.2 meters wide and 18 meters tall and was filled with 8,000 pounds (3,628 kilograms) of candy. A wrecking ball was used to smash the piñata.

This piñata broke the world record for the largest piñata set in March 1990 to help celebrate the Carnival Miami/Calle Ocho. This mega pinata was 27 feet tall and weighed an incredible 10,000 pounds!

Didyou know there is a song that goes with the piñata game? Actually there are a few…

 “Dale, dale, dale, no pierdas el tino,
Porque si lo pierdes, pierdes el camino.”

Hit it, hit it, hit it, don’t let your aim go astray,
Because if you lose it, you lose your way.

¡Dale, dale, dale! ¡arriba… abajo! ¡duro…duro! ¡rómpela...rómpela!

(hit it, hit it, hit it!  Up...down!  harder...harder!  break it... break it!

 “I don't want gold and I don't want silver...all I want is to break the piñata”

Traditional  

How do you change a regular piñata into a pull piñata?

Any pinata can be converted into a pull string piñata.  Here’s the simplest way to accomplish it.

1) Cut as many pieces of ribbon of the same length as the number of participants minus one.

2) Cut a piece of ribbon that is about 1 inch longer than the rest of the ribbon.

3) Tie the longer ribbon to a washer. Try to use the entire extra inch that so that the ribbon will appear to be the same length as the rest of the ribbons.
Tip: Many people will cut out a small cardboard washer instead of using a metal because it is lighter.

4) Remove the fringe from the bottom of your piñata. The bottom should be smooth.

5) Using a sharp knife, cut a 3-sided “trapdoor” flap measuring approximately 4″ by 4″ on the bottom of the piñata.

6) Make a small hole in the center of the flap.

7) Fill the piñata with candy and/or toys.

8) Thread the ribbon that is tied to the washer through the hole in the flap from the inside out. The ribbon attached to the washer will be the one that releases the filler!
Tip: It may be glued or taped to Close the trapdoor and glue the ends of the rest of the ribbons to the bottom of the piñata

9) Cover the ends of the ribbon and the edges of the trap door with tissue paper, completely covering the bottom of the piñata.

10) You don’t want players to be able to see which ribbon goes through the trapdoor, so you will want to cover as much of the bare space as possible.

11) Be careful not to glue the trap door shut!

12) Let the glue dry.
Tip: After the glue dries, try to open the trap door slightly to be sure that you did not glue it shut.

And there you have it, but it is much easier to always purchase a personalized pul-stringl pinata from Personalized Pinatas!