Pinatas are a great game for childrens birthday parties and many people think that they came from Mexico, but did you know that they may have originated in China?
It is said that the explorer Marco Polo witnessed the Chinese people making hollowed animal figures, covered in colourful paper and adorned with ribbons. These figures were then filled with seeds, to signify plentiful harvests and prosperity. They were hit with sticks, so that the seeds would spill out. After burning the remains, people gathered the ashes to ensure good luck throughout the year. It is rumoured that Polo was so fascinated with this celebration, that he took some of these ‘pinatas‘ back to Europe.
So…next time you are surrounded by a group of small children precariously waving a pinata basher, you only have Marco Polo to blame!




