Piñata Day

Some colorful candy containers are popular in different celebrations and birthdays around the world. Their origins may be very old, but happy and wonderful memories are made from blindfolding and trying to hit a papier-mâché donkey and get it to fill the ground with candy. The curiosity of missing or of hitting someone or anything that isn't a piñata and even the frenzied scramble to win all the great things are the factors that make Piñata Day become special wonderful! Have you come across an innocent papier-mâché creature lately?

History of Piñata Day

Piñata Day is considered about celebrating the ultimate party, by making or buying one and then slamming it with a stick, which is created by Cozy Reverie. Piñatas were first made from clay pots. Today, they are usually made of clay pots covered with papier-mâché paper, or just papier-mâché paper. They are usually painted or covered with brightly colored tissue paper, then hung on ropes. At parties, children are blindfolded and spin a few times, before attempting to hit one. Adults will pull the rope to make the piñata go up and down, making it harder to hit. Children take turns until it explodes or breaks and then candy, small toys or fruit fall to the ground which kids rush to grab. It is not surprised that adults are interested in participate in trying to hit a piñata as well.

Piñatas are believed to have originated in China. There, they are used in New Year celebrations. They are shaped into buffaloes, cows, and oxen, filled with beads, covered with colored paper and decorated with ribbons. After being beaten with sticks until they open, their remains are burned, and the ashes are saved and used to bring good luck throughout the coming year.

Marco Polo brought Piñatas to Italy by in the thirteenth century and it became popular in the following century. It is believed that piñata derived from the word pignatta in Italian, which means "earth pot". After their rise to prominence in Italy, piñatas became popular in Spain, where they are often used during Lent.

In the sixteenth century, monks introduced piñatas to Mexico which country they are most popular until now and where they was considered as a religious symbolism, which are made in the shape of a seven-pointed star, each cone represents a deadly sin. Their bright colors represent the temptation to fall into those sins. Blindfolding shows belief, as someone swinging a stick must do so blindly and have faith that they will succeed. Other people around them can encourage or deceive the person with the blindfold, which is the same with the way they can do to a person walking through life in faith.

After being presented with a staff, symbolizing virtue and the will to overcome sin, the blindfolded person was rotated about 33 times before being swung up, representing the years Jesus lived. The opening of piñata means that good has defeated evil, faith and virtue have defeated sin, and you will achieve the heavenly reward. The candies and other gifts that fall from the piñata represent the heavenly rewards for that. In the past and often today piñatas were used in Mexico for the 12 days before Christmas, known as Las Posadas. Today, piñatas play an important role in all parties of Mexico, especially birthday parties, and parties for children.

A tradition is similar to the other that appeared in Mexico in the sixteenth century, also occurred in the Americas at that time. The Aztecs filled the offerings with clay and decorated them with feathers. They opened them as an offering at the feet of Huitzilopochtli, their god of war. Likewise, the Mayans hung clay pots on strings and were beaten by someone blindfolded.

Around the world, piñatas are hung from ropes and are hit by children and adults alike. People see many star-shaped piñatas in Las Posadas, but otherwise, piñatas are often made up of animals, superheroes, cartoon characters, and children's movie characters. Today, piñatas are bought, made, and branded, until the bounty inside them spills into the ground and is collected by eager spectators.

How to celebrate Piñata Day

The best way to celebrate National Pinata Day is to hit the pinata. If there is a special celebration that falls on this anniversary, then you can buy a pinata to start the ceremony. If you can make a pinata yourself, then you can go ahead with it. Decorate it with your creativity and set it up for your special someone's birthday party by filling it with candies, toys and gifts. How about being surprise your people by making them break a pinata container. For the religious point of view, you can break the pinata for a reward. Do not forget sharing your photos and thoughts on social media by using the hashtag #PinataDay.