Confetti-Filled Eggs for Festive Events

The custom of filling hollow eggshells probably began in China where they filled the eggshells with perfumed powder to give as gifts.

Marco Polo then brought the custom to Italy. Italian men used these eggs to toss to women they were interested in courting.

The custom then spread to Spain where Carlotta, the wife of Emperor Maximillian, brought the eggs to Mexico in the mid 1800s.

The Mexicans filled the hollow eggs with confetti rather than perfumed powder and called the eggs cascarones from the word “cascaron,” which means “egg shell.” This tradition faded away after a while, but South Texans picked it up again in the late 1960s. Smashing confetti-filled eggs at festive events is becoming popular throughout the United States.  

Photo by KOKORO-OKU on flickr.

MATERIALS NEEDED

Raw eggs

Vinegar

Confetti

Glue sticks

Tissue paper

Spoon with thin handle

Food coloring or colored markers

INSTRUCTIONS:

~~ With the end of a spoon, poke a hole at the wide end of an egg. You want the hole large enough to fill the egg with confetti.

~~ Let the egg drain out of the hole into a bowl. If it doesn’t come out easily, use a sterilized needle or nail to break and stir the yolk.

~~ Rinse the egg shell and let it dry in an egg carton, large end down.

~~ Mix your dye and dip the egg in it. Since the egg is hollow, you’ll have to let the dye fill the egg so it won’t float. (Another option is to use colored markers to decorate the egg).

~~ When your egg is colored, place it back in your egg carton to dry. After it’s dried, fill it about halfway with confetti, using a small spoon or funnel.

~~ Glue a piece of tissue paper to the edges of the hole and set the cascarone in the egg carton for storage. 

Fiesta is a 10-day party held each April in San Antonio. Cartons of cascarones are for sale everywhere; in grocery stores, party stores, downtown in Market Square, and also by street vendors during most of Fiesta’s events.

Families, clubs, churches, and schools also sell cascarones before and during the San Antonio Fiesta events.

During Fiesta, you’ll see lots of colored eggshells and confetti on the ground. People walk around with egg cartons filled with confetti-filled eggs.

When people are showered with confetti, they leave it in their hair to show they’re having fun and will receive good luck!

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San Antonio’s 2017 Fiesta will be held April 20 - April 30.  For more Information on Fiesta. 

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Photo from flickr creative commons