Why does the posada piñata have seven points?

The piñata

The shape

• la estrella de siete picos the traditional star with seven points, at the posadas
• la olla a clay pot, or a cardboard figure, full of sweets

What it meant

• los siete pecados capitales the seven deadly sins, one per point, according to tradition
• romper con el mal breaking the piñata was breaking with evil

The game

• los ojos tapados the child is blindfolded with a scarf and spun round
• el palo the stick; three chances each
• la cuerda an adult raises and lowers the piñata on a rope
• Dale, dale, dale the song: hit it, hit it, don't lose your aim

What falls out

• dulces, cacahuates y fruta sweets, peanuts and fruit — Cacahuate in Mexico; cacahuete in Spain.

• According to tradition, the seven points of the star piñata stand for the seven deadly sins, and breaking it meant breaking with evil.
• In Mexico almost every children's party has a piñata, not only the posadas.

Según la tradición, los siete picos son los siete pecados capitales.

According to tradition, the seven points are the seven deadly sins.

Cuando por fin se rompe, caen dulces, cacahuates y fruta.

When it finally breaks, sweets, peanuts and fruit fall out.