How to Make a Santa Claus Pinata

Halloween may be one of the top holidays for candy giving, but Christmas comes pretty close. Christmas is filled with candy canes, lots of chocolate, and a variety of other candy that people enjoy. Instead of just stuffing the stockings or handing out this candy, you can make the sugar consumers earn it by breaking into a Christmas-themed piñata.

Things You'll Need

• Cotton balls White construction paper Red construction paper Black marker Tan spray paint Scissors Tacky glue Water Flour Mixing bowl Newspaper Balloon

Instructions

Papier Mache

1. Lay out some old newspaper on a table and make sure that you are wearing clothes you do not mind making a mess on.

2. Set a bowl out on the table to start the papier mache mix. Use 2 cups of flour and about 4 cups of water to create the papier mache mix. It should be a nice paste-like texture.

3. Blow up a medium-sized balloon and tie it. Set it on the table and make sure it does not roll away.

4. Cut out small strips of newspaper anywhere from 1 to 3 inches long. You do not have to be exact for every piece, but make sure that you have plenty of pieces to cover the whole balloon multiple times.

5. Dip the strips of newspaper into the papier mache mix and evenly lay the strips over the balloon by flattening out all of the creases or bubbles. Continue to apply the strips of newspaper until the whole balloon has been covered two to three times. This will create a strong piñata when the project is complete.

6. Let the balloon dry overnight. Make sure you do not start working on the project too early, or some of the papier mix could be ruined.

Creating Santa

1. Apply a layer of skin tone paint to the head. For fast and easy painting, take the project outside and apply a couple of coats of tan spray paint. This will dry the quickest and probably be the cheapest paint you will find.

2. Use a black permanent marker to draw on Santa's face. Leave room for a beard and mustache that will be added on in a later step.

3. Use dabs of tacky glue onto the beard, mustache and eyebrow sections of Santa's face. Apply cotton balls in the areas that were glued, making sure to apply a gentle amount of pressure onto each cotton ball. Let the glue dry for a few minutes when the whole beard has been completed.

4. Use a pair of scissors to cut a hole into Santa's head and pop the balloon that sits inside. Fill the hole with all of the candy or little toys that you plan on filling the piñata with.

5. Roll a piece of red construction paper so that it forms a cone. Tape the cone so it will stay in place. Use the tacky glue to secure the hat over the top of Santa's hat and covering the opening that the candy was placed in.

6. Take a white strip of paper and glue it around the bottom of the hat. Glue a couple of cotton balls at the tip of the hat to complete the creation.