Cascarónes — egg shells filled with confetti — are a popular Easter tradition throughout Latin America and often find their way into Southwestern U.S. celebrations. (In Spanish, cáscara means eggshell.)
- The confetti-filled eggs have been around for centuries, according to several sources.
- They were possibly invented in China and brought to Europe by Marco Polo.
- They were used in Italy where they were first used as a courting ritual, filled with perfume or cologne and then capped with wax. Men would throw them at women they found attractive. (What better way to attract a love interest than flinging an egg at the person?)
- The eggs may have been brought to Mexico in the mid-1800s by Emperor Maximilian’s wife.
- Breaking a cascarón over one's head is supposed to bring good luck. Cascarónes also make an appearance at other festive celebrations, such as birthdays, Halloween, Cinco de Mayo and weddings.
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If you are feeling crafty — or need activities for the kiddos during Spring Break, save-on-crafts.com offers the following DIY instructions for cascarónes:
Materials needed:
- One dozen eggs
- Egg dying kit
- Confetti
- Tissue paper
- Glue
Instructions:
- Gently tap the top of an egg.
- Peel away just a small ½-inch hole.
- Empty contents of the egg out into a bowl.
- Thoroughly rinse the egg and shake out excess water. Let the egg dry.
- Dye the eggs using the egg-dying kit.
- When the eggs are dry fill with confetti.
- Glue the hole in the egg with tissue paper and finish decorating.
