February 28, 2017
-
Looking at the Swing
An old birthday party tradition
The blindfold over eyes is placed
Small hands tightly grasp the stick
A pause before swinging
Lucky poke cascade
Candy gold coins
Piñata
Birthday
LootThey have been selling the Mardi Gras piñatas at the grocery store. There are usually 3 or 4 available year round but right now there seem to be a multitude perched on top the produce displays done up in the colors of Mardi Gras - purple, green and gold. As a child I was fascinated by the concept of a paper mâché creation filled with candy and small toys and sometimes even coins! By the time I actually was able to participate in a birthday piñata bashing I was no longer enchanted. I discovered the truth. The candy was not only the cheapest kind but stale and the toys were little better than what passed as prizes in a Cracker Jack's box. Still this tradition lives on.
I cringe ever since the fiasco at a Cub Scout meeting. Imagine 30 young and eager boys crowded around a blind-folded boy swinging a baseball bat as if her were in the major leagues. The more wildly he swung the closer the spectators leaned in. Finally he connected. The piñata exploded on impact. The assembled Scouts literally dove into the area. The boy with the bat threw it away as if he was racing to first base. He was knocked off his feet. It was a miracle that no one was injured. But I digress. The point is that today is Fat Tuesday. The day before Lent begins. As such is a day when all the decadent items are removed from the house mostly by cooking cakes and cookies and pies and other delights which must be consumed. Lent is supposed to be a time of prayer, fasting and alms giving - when we deny ourselves to join in solidarity with those less fortunate. The piñata is the very symbol of greed and gluttony in my mind. It is no wonder it has been co-opted into the Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) revelry.
By the way this is my Winter Scavenger Hunt offering for prompt #8 - Use the words poke, cascade, pause, and gold. I wrote a Nonet which is a poem with 9 lines where the first line has nine syllables. Each following line has a syllable less and the last line has one syllable.
Comments (6)
I knew about pinatas at birthday parties, but I didn't realize they were also a part of Mardi Gras. I don't think I will give up anything for Lent this year since I am going on vacation with my brother and his wife beginning April 7 and not returning until April 18. We'll be in Yakima Wash. Easter Sun. I plan to go to a Catholic church with my SIL Sun. morning. The rest of the family there are not church-goers, (though my brother will probably go with us). I would hate to miss being in a worship service on Resurrection day. About Lent..the point is that I'd hate to give up something like chocolate and then be offered delicious chocolates. Also vacations are full of unexpected things, that interrupt plans to read or pray more. I'm sure God understands.
I guess the pinatas are kind of regional. I hear that they throw/handout different things during the parades depending on your location - in some places it is beads or coins and in other places moonpies or plastic cups or Zulu coconuts. In other places it is more private masquerade balls or parties with pinatas... Have fun on vacation!
An interesting take on the pinata -- I had not heard of it as a part of Mardi Gras, but it's a popular birthday activity in this part of the world.
I'm pretty sure it is regional. Around here there aren't any parades (it is usually too cold) but the pinata seems to be a staple.
I think I only ever had a pinata at one of Krysten's birthday parties. It was a fiasco.
Yup. The pinata is one of those things that as a mother I just shake my head and say nope. not ever. I wonder how many concussions occur every year from kids being whacked in the head by some blindfolded birthday celebrant flailing around with a broom handle or baseball bat?