Christmas Activities / 14 December, 2018 / Nanny Anita

How to Make a 7 Point Star Piñata

I know I often say that I have wanted to do crafts or activities for ages, but 7 point star piñata has been on my list for over 3 years! The first year it was too late into December to make it, write it up, and post it before Christmas. 2016 I started to make it but the balloon I was using burst and I didn’t have any others. Last year with an under 1 I just didn’t have the time (or energy). But finally this year I have finally done it.

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To make the 7 point star piñata you will need:

• Round balloon*
• Party hats
• Tape
• PVA glue or papier-mâché glue
• Paper
• Craft knife
• Tissue paper
• Scissors
• String
• Sweets

*I used a punch balloon as they are perfect circles.

When I started making it I was slightly nervous about it bursting again. The first balloon I used did. Thankfully I have learnt from previous mistakes and had a whole pack of them at hand. Blow up the balloon to a good size and tape 7 party hats around it in a star shape. You could do 5 around the outside then one at the front and one at the back. Or you could do the convoluted thing of arranging 3 around the base, 3 around the top half and then 1 at the very top. Balloon 1 burst while I was trying to unstick one of the hats. Apparently balloons don’t like having tape pealed off (mistake 1).

When everything is in place papier-mâché the whole of it. This is where I lost balloon 2! It didn’t burst, but it did deflate between the time of blowing it up and adding the papier-mâché. So mistake 2 is don’t wait between these steps.

Now leave it to dry over night.

Next cut a hole in the piñata to add the sweets. I was rather worried that the whole thing would simply collapse in on itself during this step, but it didn’t. Yay me. However, mistake 3 was made here. Don’t cut the hole at the top. You will be hanging it up from there and it really weakens it. Cut the hole in the side. When you have added the sweets, replace the part that you have cut away and tape it back together.

Now to decorate it. Cut strips of tissue paper and glue the top of the strips to the piñata. Start at the bottom and work up (that was mistake 4).

Finally make a hole in the top for the string to go through and hang it up.

YC and EC literally took it down in about 5 hits! I had to get them to stop so that BB could get a few hits in. It came down quickly because I cut the hole in the top and taped it back up. After 5 whacks, the tape gave way and the whole thing came crashing down. If I had made the hole in the side it would have lasted longer! That didn’t stop all of them enjoying it. Surprisingly they were really civil when dividing up the sweets inside! Must be the Christmas spirit.

Being civil while dividing up the sweets.

History of the 7 point star piñata

I didn’t make the piñata for the pure fun of it. It was actually part of trying to teach YC and EC the about other cultures and how they celebrate Christmas. Although the meaning of the piñata has largely been lost and is mainly used at birthday parties for fun, it is still used in the celebration of the Posadas in Mexico.

Originally the piñata took the shape of the 7 point star and was used in the period leading up to Christmas. In 1586 the Augustinian friars received authorisation from the Pope to hold special masses before Christmas. During the masses the friars introduced the Piñata. They used them as an allegory to help convert the native people to Christianity. The 7 points of the star represented the 7 deadly sins. The bright colours the temptation to fall into these sins. The blindfold is our faith, and the stick is our will to overcome these sins. The prizes inside the piñata are meant to represent the riches we will receive in the kingdom of heaven.

If you enjoyed this 7 point star piñata be sure to check out my minute to win it Christmas games, candy cane science experiment, and pipe cleaner crystal decorations.

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