When it comes to Mexican goods, the Pinata is one of the first things that come to mind. Pinatas are enjoyed world wide for their festive presence and the promise of fun. They are beautiful fabulous creations and are used for party decorations and are also used as a fun game. Usually it is heightened at the end of a party with candies and toys inside it. Today, pinatas can be purchased that look like Sponge Bob, Superman, and Mickey Mouse or just about anything you desire. Most of us associate pinatas as being only Mexican but their origins are elsewhere.

Unlike most Mexican goods, the pinata’s origins are multi cultural. The merchant and great traveler, Marco Polis is known to have seen a version of the modern-day pinata when he was exploring in the Orient 13th Century. They were celebrating with miniature representations of animals that were fashioned out of craft materials and made hollow to accommodate seeds. On a given holiday, it would be displayed, usually hanging from a tree branch and beaten with a stick, therefore releasing the contents inside the pinatas. Seeds represented a good forthcoming harvest and also portended wealth and prosperity.

Marco Polo, as legend claims, upon returning to his native Italy, loaded his vessel with luxurious silks, exotic spices and he also brought an ancient version of the modern-day piñata and introduced it the Catholic Church, and it became intertwined with religious holidays. It was not long before the tradition spread from Italy to Spain which in turn came to New World from Spain. The missionaries used the piñata to teach the natives their religious doctrine. Interestingly, this method succeeded in teaching the indigenous peoples of Mexico because they already had their own version of the pinatas.

The Aztecs would honor their god each year with a gift. This offering took shape in the form of a clay pot that contained presents. When the contents fell to the ground, it was a sign to the Aztecs that the offerings had been received. Wearing a blindfold while trying to break open the pinata is also rooted in the past. The ancient Mayan were known to play their game blindfolded. Taking note of this practice was the Spanish missionaries and they incorporated the blindfold into the teachings with the pinatas. Today, pinatas are one of the most sought after Mexican Goods. Pinatas are in very high demand in the United States. The most popular pinatas have to do with a child’s birthday party. Children love the game as well as the hidden treasures inside.

If you’re a parent of a pre-teenager or adolescent, you probably know from experience that slumber parties are a big deal for kids. They look forward to them for days and often remember them for years. While a slumber party may be a bit of a sacrifice for the adults, in terms of lost sleep, diminished privacy, and a disruption of the usual routine, the advantages to your child often outweigh the short-term inconvenience of being woken up by midnight giggling. Slumber parties not only help kids solidify friendships, but they also get to have bedtime rules relaxed for one night.

Among the challenges of allowing your child to host a sleepover in your home is helping them come up with slumber party ideas that will be fun and memorable, but not expensive or too messy. One component of many slumber parties is a carefully chosen craft activity, which needs to be both age appropriate and, of course, gender appropriate. Most kids enjoy the creativity of crafts, especially if it involves something cool that they can wear, use, or otherwise show off.

A trip to your local craft store will provide many of the slumber party ideas and supplies you need to keep the kids entertained for an hour or two; but shopping for your slumber party needs on the Internet can be faster and easier – especially if you start out your search with one or two unique slumber party ideas in mind. T shirt painting can be a fun idea for a sleepover, but unless your kid’s friends are a bunch of ‘neatniks”, there will probably be a big mess for you to clean up at the end of the evening. One solution to that problem is to buy an adequate supply of colorful, non-toxic fabric markers that leave a minimal mess and dry in minutes, rather than hours. If you pick that activity, you might want to consider including some bright neon fabric markers, too, which can make the creative process even more enjoyable for the kids.