Mexican Pinata

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Mexican Pinata

Imagine yourself at a Hispanic party. It can be a birthday party, a Christmas party, or even a wedding.

There's lots of food, people mingling and enjoying the entertainment and revelries. Suddenly, a pi�ata is revealed and the excitement and thrill amongst the partygoers heightens.

You find yourself giddy with anticipation for the goodies in the pi�ata� Who's going to be chosen to break the pi�ata and how quickly that person can break the Mexican pinata open?

What Is a Pi�ata?

A pi�ata is defined as a play thing that's essentially made like a container with materials like cardboard or papier mache. Originally Indigenous people used clay to make it. Today pi�atas are filled with toys, candy, trinkets, or jewelry.

What makes it so fun to have a pi�ata at a party or festival is that, it is suspended from a high place and partygoers are blindfolded as they try to hit the pi�ata with sticks trying to break it open.

In many Hispanic American homes people hang them from trees in the backyard or nogal like Mexicans call it. This beautiful tradition it perfectly represented in the famous book for children "Arroz con Frijoles�y Unos Amables Ratones" by Pam Ryan.

The story tells how Catalina's grandma prepares a birthday party for her grandchild and the main attraction is la pi�ata. This story shows how important this tradition is for Hispanic families where they gather to enjoy beans and rice and celebrate children's birthdays with pi�atas.

Types of Pinatas

What do I like the most about pinatas...Their flexibility! There are many kinds you can use or make depending on the occasion. For example, a Hispanic Wedding Couple Pinata has a specific theme that revolves around the novios, doves or hearts.

A pinata for Las Posadas Mexicanas calls for a typical pinata in the shape of a star. For birthday celebrations there is more flexibility. You can use a typical star or your favorite character.

Another possibility is to make your own following your imagination! Make a Paper Mache Pinata with your children. It is fun even though it is an involved process.

Mexican Pinata History

It's a popular belief that pinatas originated in Hispanic culture among the Mayans, Aztecs and natives of Mexico.

In the olden times, it has been said that on the birthday of Huitzilopochitli, the Aztec god of war, priests hung a clay pot from one of the temple's poles.

The pot was decorated with feathers and inside the pot were colorful stones, nuts, bead ornaments, painted stones or berries. After breaking the pot with a stick, the contents spilled on the feet of the image of the god representing an offering.

To know more about pinata history check out my page about it here go to pinata history.

Today, there are Spanish Christmas pi�atas, Hispanic wedding couple pi�atas and many other pi�ata ideas. It's easy for people to obtain the perfect paper mache pi�ata for an event, and if you like pi�atas to be part of the excitement at any party you host, you can learn about how to make a pi�ata.

No matter what country you reside in, pinatas have far and extended reach. If you want a pi�ata for your child's birthday party, you can even get it in the shape of his or her favorite character.

Mexican Pinata filling

Remember that fillings are also very important. When I celebrate my son's birthday I make sure to buy the typical Mexican or traditional candies from Hispanic America.

I buy a pack called Pi�ata & Candy Fiesta Package and it is enough to mix with some toys. It such a pleasure seeing kids enjoy and having fun with a simple piece of our culture. I use Mexgrocer to buy my candy supplies.

For parties with adults, pi�atas have the same effect. They can be shaped in the company's logo for a company party or it can be shaped into something significant for the partygoers.

Aside from the beauty and character pi�atas have, breaking the Mexican pinata is a thrill. There's the excitement of waiting for the blindfolded person to break it and there's the anticipation about what's inside the pi�ata as it breaks.

Go ahead and get a pi�ata for the event you're planning, or better yet, start making one and let the joy, goodies and fun spill out and pour over your gathering with friends and family.