The history and curiosities of the piñata parties

Many partygoers think of piñatas as a party game with its origins tied to the lands of Mexico. Instead, however, the origins of piñatas can be traced back to Italy. Originally known as pignatta (meaning “brittle pot” in Italian), piñatas were made of clay. They were often in the shape of a symbol of hospitality used throughout Italy, the shape of a pineapple.

From Italy, the custom of breaking piñatas emigrated to Spain where the custom was closely linked to the celebration of Lent. It was at this point in history that the name changed from pignatta to pinata. The piñatas themselves were still made of clay at this point and were known to the Spanish as a pot, which was their word for “pot.” Although the first piñatas were simple clay pots, over time people began to place paper figures in the pots to decorate them. The Spanish piñata had a religious meaning for them. They believed that the piñata represented Satan and was made beautiful and shiny to offer a temptation to the innocent who came into contact with it. The sweets and toys that were placed inside him were the temptations of Satan. The person breaking the piñata was always blindfolded to represent blind faith and the stick used to break the piñata was said to be the symbol of all things good. This was important because “good” had to overcome “evil” or, in this case, Satan. Once goodness overcame evil, spilled treats were said to be justified rewards for living a “good” life.

From Spain, missionaries brought the piñata customs to Mexico, where the Aztecs found the custom to be very close to the customs and celebrations of their own cultures. For example, to celebrate the Aztec god of war, at the end of the year Aztec priests would place a clay pot on a post in the community temple. The pot was filled with tiny treasures and was decorated on the outside with brightly colored feathers. Then the pot broke and the treasures fell to the base of the post. These treasures were said to be an offering to the god of war and would bring strength and goodness to the Aztec people.

Today, the ritual of breaking piñatas has less religious symbolism and is more about the fun and rewards associated with the activity. Pinatas can be purchased to complement almost any theme or character party, making them a great choice for a party activity. Party favors, candy, and little treasures can be stuffed inside the piñatas to explode on the crowd of party guests when the piñata is broken. The resulting scurry of guests and laughter from treasurers are claimed to bring a smile to all who watch. To make sure everyone gets something out of the piñatas, the party host should reserve goody bags with replica treasures. The little bags, which have historically been called collation, will ensure that in a moment of fun and laughter, no guest will feel excluded from the celebration.