Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-02-12
4 FROL1C IN l[EXICO
breaking THE PiNATA DURING TAE
CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL.

Ihts atirth Provoking I'Rntimc 4. the
Great Social nnh i'un Making Tcn-
tnrc ef the Sca~om-Drcs.inr nn.,
EIltins: tbc OLA
Christians i'll Mexico is not The typ
ical Christmas Of cold and snow and
ice. but one Of bright. warm sunshine.
cloudlcsS blue skies flowers in proru-
sIon 'rccs in full foliage aud !, life Of
out Of doors.
NJ least Il week before Christmas in
the principal streets or Mexico arches
arc erected from sidewalk to sidewalk.
tcstoun"l with wrcaths OF flow crs and
bunting in the national colorS-rcd
white and green. Under The arches
i"oih> are erected. and every toy man
ufact!rcd il Mexico is on sale
III every Mexican; house great prep
AratlunS are made for what is called
the ''pina'a. Every child bc.s and
ccrapcS and saves The ccntavos for
weeks ana mouths ahead All kinds of
articles arc made especially for this
"r;c:lony. AMI every family WIGS With
its friends ana nci-hborS to have its
njnita moro beautiful and fanciful lhiu
amy QUO cl>c's.
The pin;lt:, is really an cArthcnwarc
ui"'lSil which is in =cncr;l use tor cook
i'l=. II is called III common 1,arluncc
a'l oils; and is Of brown pottery so,lc-
'hin@ like The old Fashioned car,hcn-
Ware crooks used in the north before
enamel war" became the fad
TIC pinHtas arc large or small. rs the
Purse OF the purchaser permits. .rhcy
arc round rot hcllicd and vcrv large III
Tic TOP. They arc sold from door to
door on the streets and in the markets
'lliCv cost oulv ~. H. or 20 centavos
hVt the OLA is the least expensive part
Of Tie game
Tic body oc the Ola for Il woman is
covered With tissue paper: then Il Grim
Ei"' paper dress is tashioucd then a
i'ohic" is built VI. urape,l to represent
j loose white waist. and above this is
placed i false face Tho lair is made
with black paper. braided into one loug
plat III ihe back. us the women wear
'i'ci! hair i'll Mexico. Sometimes a
White :e!i,i:lna heaudrrSs is made Of the
lace paper usc;! by bakers ana conlec-
toners ..
\ flower pnaia is decorated with
large paper flowers in every color Of
The rainbow. Red. white and green ril,-
hons. forming lou. steamers and sill
rcl' and gold 'inscl. glass balls and col
"rtI lights all help 10 make the flower
nInata very beautiful. The possibilities
for dressing these ninatas are endless
In y large family the mother and
daughters have their own pnatas and
great secrecy is maintained in the dec
prntlon Of the Ola. 1t is the aim Of
each to devise lis original Il dressing
Tor the pinata as possible. and it can
hc made :, very c:s travagant ornament.
IN tic families OF wealthy Mex leans
The luxury Of the pinatl often mounts
into thousands
After the Ola is decorated to The taste
it is filled. The filling consists of pea
nuts. hazel nuts. hard candies. like
marbles. and all kinds Of Mexican
du!ccs. These dulces arc candied fruits,
nut paste. etc
Christmas night the piuatas are car.
ried in great state into the s;.la aud
suspended from tho ceiling one at a
time, Al the relatives of the family
are present. and as cousins Of the fifth
and sixth degree arc recognized ana
children arc very numerous there is
generally Il large gathering They all
sit very dcmurely on chairs ranged in
y row around the walls Of the room
One person is constituted master Of
ceremonies. the eldest son or daughter
oc the house. He or she stands in ihc
middle OF the room. Near by is !, lar
Ut umbrella stand filed with apisaco
canes or sticks. When everything is
lected and called .by name. Shc comes
forward and is blindfoldcd
Then the fun begins. The person
bindfoldcu is turned round and round
until she loses all knowledge OF where
the pinata hangs. \ cane is put in lcr
hands, and she is told to hit the pinuta
and try to break il. She is given three
chances. re she fails 10 hit it she sits
down amid laughter and ridiculc If
she hits it without breaking it She is
entitled to a small prize.
And 50 it goes Oh. one after another
being called up, blindfoldcd and given a
canc and three chances to break the
piDat:. Finally one more Fortunate
I han the rest succeeds in giving {, hard
enough blow and, crash, the pinata
falls TO the grounds i'll hundreds OF bits.
and it's contents are scattered far and
wide.
\ Wild scramble cnsucs. Everybody
PUSHES forward to gather as much or
the spilled contents rs possible.
The fortunate breaker Of the pilHta
GETS = handsome prize and is awarded
the seat OF honor. He Or she sits down
and is dcbarrcd from another trial at
breaking another pinata AS soon as
tho confusion dies down and orfIe, is