Imagine you’re at a party. You see snacks and games. Then you notice a special decoration swinging from a string. This is no simple décor. It’s a piñata — a hanging container filled with surprises! Break it open with a stick, and you might find candy or other special treats inside. The piñata is a part of Mexican celebrations. This year, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) honored the piñata with four new stamps!
People in China may have invented the piñata long ago. The custom got to Mexico when explorers reached the Americas in the 1500s. Mexicans have now celebrated with piñatas for hundreds of years. They use them for all types of fiestas. For example, you might see a piñata during a holiday, wedding, or birthday — including a girl’s 15th birthday (called a quinceañera). Today, the celebration has spread across the United States!
The USPS recognized this Hispanic by releasing piñata stamps. Two show a seven-pointed star, and two show a donkey. The colors are symbols of Mexican culture. USPS officials held a ceremony for these stamps on September 8 in Roswell, New Mexico. That was during the city’s 36th Annual Piñata Festival!
This is the third straight year that the USPS has highlighted Hispanic heritage. In 2021, it made stamps for the Day of the Dead. And in 2022, the USPS issued stamps with mariachi musicians. Isaac Cronkhite works for the USPS. “Our stamps allow us to weave together the many threads of our national tapestry,” he said. And Cronkhite called piñatas “the perfect example of this.”
Víctor Meléndez created the art for the stamps. He was born in Mexico City, Mexico, before moving to the United States. Meléndez called the piñata a symbol of “happiness.” And the artist told News-O-Matic: “It reminds me of all the fun times I had with friends and family.”
Meléndez said it “feels great” to see his piñata artwork on stamps. “I am very proud of my heritage,” he explained. “This is a great project to showcase one of our most beloved traditions.”
Updated September 18, 2023, 5:02 P.M. (ET)
By Russell Kahn (Russ)
