Although many people believe that the piñata originated in Mexico, the actual origin of the practice is believed to have originated in China. Marco Polo, during his voyages through Asia described having seen animal figurines, covered in colorful paper, being broken apart with sticks by local people in celebration of the New Year. When the figurines were broken apart, the seeds that had been put inside previously would fall out. These seeds were then burned by the celebrants and distributed to them as a sign of good luck. It is believed that this custom passed on to Europe during the Fourteenth Century. During this period, at Lent, the Italians would give each other a Pignatta, or a clay bowl filled with presents. The first Sunday of Lent was then known as “Piñata Sunday”. Although the custom of breaking the piñata existed in Europe, none of these traditions colorfully decorated the pottery used. It was the Mexican tradition that gave the piñata its color. It can be said that the current version of the piñata tradition is Mexican in origin.

From Italy, the tradition went on to Spain, where paper and ribbons were added to the pots. During the beginning of the 16th Century, the Spanish used the piñata in their efforts to evangelize the indigenous populations in the New World. During the Colonial Period, the Spanish invaders used an indigenous tradition, the breaking of clay pots for their gods to reinforce the Catholic evangelism upon the indigenous population. The indigenous’ custom was to place clay pottery, decorated with feathers and filled with various objects at the feet of their gods. Once broken, the pots would release its contents as offerings to their gods.

The Spanish missionaries took this tradition and converted it, into a symbol between the good and the bad during their conversion of the population into Catholicism. In the Spanish tradition, the Indian would break the piñata by hitting it, symbolizing the destruction of Satan, or what was considered “bad”. This is why the traditional piñata has five points, each point representing the seven sins of the Catholic Church. According to Catholic tradition, the seven sins are Being Prideful, Lustfulness, Gluttony, Rage, Greed, Laziness and Envy. According the Spanish evangelists, the breaking of the piñata was a symbol of the triumph of good over evil.