In Mexico, Posada (celebrating the arrival of Christmas) starts this week with prayer, song, and merriment. For the children all over Mexico celebrations include the Piñata. Learn how to make your own Piñata with instructions from the students of Emiliano Zapata. Then take a peek at classes of first students to receive your butterflies. Maybe you'll spot your own!

Today's Report Includes: mmm m

• Piñatas for Posada
• A School Visit: Will You Spot Your Butterfly?

Students at Emiliano Zapata Elementary in El Asoleadero Community, began their preparations for Posada (celebrating the arrival of Christmas time) last week with Piñata making.

The body of the Piñata can be made with a simple balloon, and the traditional form has 3-5 horns. The horns of a piñata represent the Capital Sins (in the Catholic religion). Hitting and breaking off a horn symbolizes leaving the sins behind.

Try making your own Piñata with these instructions:

1. Start with a balloon. Your balloon will be the base to form your Piñata. Tear paper strips (newspaper works well) and cover balloon with glue-soaked strips. (Glue is made from 2 cups flour and 3 cups water.) You should glue several layers around.
2. Put it to dry for at least one whole day.
3. Make and glue the ¨horns¨of the Piñata (4-5 horns).
4. Cut all kinds and colors of paper in any shape you want, and glue them around the Piñata. The paper shapes should be ¨curled,¨or curved in way that they look bushy on the surface.
5. Hang it in a dry, sheltered place and let it dry absolutely.
6. Fill it with fruits, candies, chocolates, etc.
7. Gather friends and family together for some fun.

Hang the Piñata from something high so it is just the right height for children to hit it. (Two tall people could suspend the Piñata between them.) Each child takes a turn trying to break it using a bat. The fun part is that the batter wears a blindfold! Everyone gets a chance to swing at the Piñata to break it.

Girls from the upper grades at Emiliano Zapata Elementary are hand-making some Piñatas for the celebration of their Posada.

Earlier this month more than 100 symbolic butterflies were delivered to Emiliano Zapata school. Emiliano Zapata is a large elementary school in the El Asoleadero Community of Ocampo.

Classroom Lists
Today we offer you an early peek to see if your butterfly is at Emiliano Zapata school. Estela visited 4 classrooms here.

Could your butterfly be behind door number...

The Next Symbolic Monarch Migration Update Will be Posted in Late January, 2011.

• Facebook
• Pinterest
• Twitter

© 1997 – 2019 Journey North. All rights reserved.