Piñatas: A Mexican Fiesta Essential

One element of Mexican fiestas that never fails to liven up a gathering is a piñata. Piñatas come in every imaginable shape and size but the traditional piñata is in the shape of a star with seven points. The custom of breaking a piñata is said to have originated with some Augustinian friars in the late 1500s. Read more about the history and meaning of the piñata, or see a video that shows how to make a piñata.

_{Photo by Gustavo Serrano, licensed under Creative Commons}