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What Is a Pinata?

What Is a Pinata? thumbnail
What Is a Pinata?

Piñatas come in many shapes and sizes. Donkeys and stars are popular piñata styles, yet piñatas can be made to look like any animal, popular cartoon character or shape. But it doesn't matter how cute the piñata is, for even the most creatively crafted piñata will likely suffer the same fate: being smashed open with a stick. Does this Spark an idea?

  1. Identification

    • Piñatas are hollow paper sculptures. They are typically made from papier mâché and covered with brightly colored tissue paper.

    Size

    • A piñata is typically the size of a medium-sized dog, although piñatas can vary in size.

    Function

    • The piñata is filled with candy or treats. At parties, piñatas are hung from the ceiling. Children take turns trying to hit the piñata with a stick to break open the piñata and release the treats.

    Features

    • A piñata is used just once, for it is destroyed when it is broken open.

    History

    • Piñatas are considered a Mexican custom for parties and fiestas. Piñatas may have originated in the Orient, however, and appear in histories of Italy and Spain.

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  • Photo Credit A. Johnson

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