The Pinata Tradition

The Piñata has always been known world wide for it's fun and with its hidden rewards makes it a memorable game for children and adults alike. Today, many people are unaware of the original significance of the piñata and participate in the game solely for fun. Piñatas are especially popular during Las Posadas (to ring in the Christmas season) and at birthday parties.

Of course, the religious significance of the piñatas for the Spanish was quite different. The piñata represented Satan. It was made beautiful and bright to get the attention of the innocent person who came into contact with it. Candies and fruits inside represented the temptations of the Devil. The person trying to break the piñata was blindfolded as a representation of blind faith. The stick for breaking the piñata was a symbol of goodness, as only good can overcome evil. Once broken, the candies and fruits then represented a just reward. The moral of the story: all are justified through faith.

The decorated clay pot also called a cantero represents Satan who often wears an attractive mask to attract humanity. The most traditional style piñata looks a bit like Sputnik, with seven points, each with streamers. These cones represent the seven deadly sins, pecados - greed, gluttony, sloth, pride, envy, wrath and lust. Beautiful and bright, the piñata tempted. Candies and fruits inside represented the cantaros (temptations)of wealth and earthly pleasures.

Thus, the piñata reflected three theological virtues in the catequismo. (religious instruction or catechism)

The blindfolded participant represents the leading force in defying evil, ‘Fe’, faith, which must be blind. People gathered near the player and spun him around to confuse his sense of space. Sometimes the turns numbered thirty three in memory of the life of Christ. The voices of others cry out guidance:

¡Más arriba! More upwards!
¡Abajo! Lower!
¡Enfrente! In front!

Some call out engaños (deceits, or false directions) to disorient the hitter.

Secondly the piñata served as a symbol of ‘Esperanza’, Hope.

With the piñata hanging above their heads, people watched towards los cielos (sky or heaven) yearning and waiting for the prize. The stick for breaking the piñata symbolized virtue, as only good can overcome evil. Once broken, the candies and fruits represented the just reward for keeping faith.

Finally the piñata symbolized ‘Caridad’, Charity. With its eventual breaking, everyone shared in the divine blessings and gifts.

The moral of the piñata: all are justified through faith.

Today, the piñata has lost its religious symbolism and most participate in the game solely for fun. Piñatas are especially popular during Las Posadas, traditional processions ringing in the Christmas season and at birthday parties. During festivities, people traditionally sing songs while breaking the piñatas.

“Dale, dale, dale, no perdas el tino,
porque si lo perdes, pierdes el camino.
Esta piñata es de muchas mañas, sólo contiene naranjas y cañas.”

Hit, hit, hit.
Don’t lose your aim,
Because if you lose, you lose the road.
This piñata is much manna, only contains oranges and sugar cane.”

Another popular song for hitting the piñata is rooted in the year 1557 when dignitaries of Felipe II toured towns in New Spain. While exacting pledges of allegiance, coins of nickel were offered for coins of silver. This failed to please the people so as they break piñatas during las posadas, they sing:

"No quiero níquel ni quiero plata:
yo lo que quiero es romper la piñata."
“I don’t want nickel/I don’t want silver
I only want to break the piñata…”

 Piñatas can be found in all shapes and sizes. Modern ones often represent cartoon or other characters known to most children. Others are shaped like fruits, baskets, rockets etc. Sometimes people of political statue are satirized. At Christmas, star-shaped piñatas suggestive of the Star of Bethlehem are especially popular. One’s imagination is the creative limit.

Traditionally, piñatas are filled with both candies and fruits. Around Christmas in Mexico, wrapped candies, peanuts, guavas, oranges, jicamas,(sweet root vegetable) sugar cane, and tejocotes (a kind of crab apple) stuff piñatas. Some types of piñatas called traps, are stuffed with flour, confetti or ‘flowery water’. Any child without a treat after the goodies are gathered from the ground is given a little basket full of special candy. These colaciónes are kept on hand to avoid hurt feelings and tears. The rest of the treats are passed around to everyone before the party is over.

Towns of potters once existed to fashion ‘ollas piñateras’, bare clay pots sold in the mercado. (market) People took them home and pasted their own colored paper to them. Cardboard and paper maché often fashioned over balloons has replaced ‘la olla’ in many modern piñatas.

Piñatas can be found in all shapes and sizes. Many represent cartoon or other characters known to most children. Others are shaped like fruits, baskets, rockets, etc. One's imagination is the limit. One classic shape is the star, and it is very symbolic. When five-pointed, the obvious reference is the pentagram (again, a symbol of the Devil which must be defeated, or broken). Otherwise, it can be thought of as the star the Wise Men followed to find Baby Jesus. Star piñatas are especially popular at Christmas for these very reasons.

Traditionally, piñatas are filled with both candies and fruits. Around Christmas in Mexico, they are often filled with wrapped candies, peanuts, guavas, oranges, jicamas, sugar cane, and tejocotes (a kind of crab apple found in Mexico). Should any child be found without a treat after all the goodies are gathered from the ground, little baskets full of a special candy called colación are kept on hand to avoid hurt feelings and tears. These are passed around to everyone before the party is over.

The piñata’s versatility contributes to its perennial popularity. Fashioned from a long tradition the joyous piñata continues to enchant celebrations and parties around the world.