The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1905-03-02
A FRoLIc IN MEXICO
BREAKING TIE FiNATA DURING The
CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL

tuFe OF the demonstrating and
Filling the Ola:
Christmas In Mexico Is not the typ
ical Christmas Of cold and snow and
ice, but one OF bright warm Sunshine.
cIoudIess blue skies, flowers in profu-
sion. trees in full foliage and a life of
out Of doors,
Atheist week before Christmas in
the principal streets OF Mexico arches
are erected from sidewalk to sidewalk.
festooned with wreatl,s OF flowers and
bunting in the national colsrs-red.
white and green. Under the arches
booths are erected, aud every toy man
ufactured IN Mexico is on sale.
In every Mexican house great prep
aratlons are made for what Is called
the .pinata." Every child begs and
scrapes aud saves the centayos for
weeks and months ahead All kinds Of
articles are made especially for this
ceremony, and every family yies with
its friends aud neighbors to have its
pinata more beautiful and fanelful than
any one elses.
The plnata is really an earthenware
utensll which is in general use for cook
ing. 1t is called III common parlance
an OLA and is of brown pottery some
thing like the old fashioned earthen-
ware crooks used IN the north before
enamel ware became the fad.
Tue pinatas are large or small, as the
purse of the purchaser permits. They
are round, pot bellied and very large ut
the top. They are sold from door to
door on the streets and in the markets.
They cost only 10, Is or 20 centavos,
but the ola is the least expensive part
OF the game.
The body Of the ola for woman Is
covered with tissue paper; then erin.
killed. paper dress Is fashioned; then a
bodice is built up draped to represent
loose white waist. and above. this IS
placed false face The hair Is made
with black paper, braided into one long
plait at the back. as the women wear
their hair in Mexico. Sometimes a
white tehuana headdress is made OF the
lace paper used by bakers and confec-
TONERS.
A flower pinata is decorated with
large paper flowers in every color Of
the rainbow. Red, white and green rib
bons, forming long streamcrs. and sill
yer and gold tlnsel. glass balls and col
ored lights Ill help TO make the flower
| pinata very beautiful The possibilities
for dressing these pinatas are endless.
In a large family the mother ana
daughters have lhclr own pinatas. and
| great secrecy Is maintained in the dee.
Grafton Of the ola. II is the aim Of
each TO devise "a original Il dressing
for the pinata as possible, ana it can
he made very extrayagant ornament.
In the families Of wealthy Mcxicans
the luxury OF the pinata often mounts
into thousands.
After the ola is decorated to the taste
1t Is filed, The filling consists or pea
nuts. hazel nuts, hard candies. Ike
marbles, and all kinds Of Mexican
dulees. These dulces are candicd fruits,
nut paste, etc.
Christmas night the pinatas are car
ried IN great state into tile sala and
suspended from the ceiling one nj 4
time. All the relatives OF the family
are present, and as cousins Of the dftb
and sixth degree are recognized ana
children are very numerous there ii
generally q large gathering They all
sit very demurely on chairs ranged in
row around the walls OF the room.
One person is constituted master Of
ceremonies, the eldest son or daughter
Of the house He or she stands in the
middle Of the room. Near by Is a lar
or umbrella stand filed with aplsaco
canes or sticks. When everything is
ready a child or grown person is Sc.
lected and called by name, SHE comes
forward and is blindfolded.
Then the fun begins. The person
blindfoded is turned round and round
until she loses all knowledge OF where
the pinnta hangs. A cane is put In her
hands, and she is told TO hit the pinata
and try y FeaIl it. She Is given three
chamcns Sic fails to hit it she sits
down 81 ryhter and ridicule. II
she hit aout breaking II she is
enutle! u prize.
Aud or one after another
beng q 1IiHlfolleland given .
~cine oI r,antes % break tile
pinaia orc more fortunate
than the rerjs II giving hara
enough IA crel t'ie p.u&ta
IN 4 E. = . "a f.