Confetti-Filled Eggs for Festive Events

by AngelaJohnson

Confetti-filled eggs can be used at festivals, birthday parties, graduations, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, Halloween, Christmas, and other festive events.

Cascaron is the Spanish word for eggshell. A cascarone is a chicken egg that has been cracked at one end, emptied, and washed out. The eggshell is then brightly painted or dyed. When it's dry, it's filled with confetti and a piece of tissue paper is glued over the hole.

It's fun to make cascarones, although you can also buy them - at least in the Southwest. But the best part is cracking one over someone's head! And the person who has a cascarone smashed over his head is supposed to have good luck!

Photo from flickr creative commons.

History of Confetti-Filled Eggs (Cascarones)

Confetti filled eggsThe 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.

Smashing Cascarones

cracking cascaroneIt’s fun to sneak up on someone and smash a cascarone on her head so the confetti spills out. This brings luck to your victim!

Don’t smash the cascarone directly on a person's head, though. You may accidentally hit her head too hard, or the egg shell might crack into sharp pieces.

As you bring the egg down over people's heads, squeeze it in your hand first. The confetti and egg shell will end up in her hair. Tell people to leave the confetti in their hair to show everyone they’re going to have good luck.

Have plenty of cascarones with you – both for your victims and for friends to crack on your own head. You want good luck, too!

 

Photo by Nongbri Family Pix on flickr.  

How to Make Confetti Filled Eggs

confetti filled eggMATERIALS 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. 

 

How to Make Cascarones Video

Sneaking up on a Victim with a Cascarone

Cracking a cascarone
Cracking a cascarone
Photo by author

Not Everyone Likes Cascarones

Dog with confetti on head
Dog with confetti on head

You Can Buy Cascarones Online

Confetti Eggs - One Dozen

Cascarones are a Tradition During San Antonio's Fiesta

Cascarones are Hollow Eggs Filled with Confetti

Cascarones for saleFiesta 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

Updated: 04/07/2017, AngelaJohnson
 
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VioletteRose on 11/12/2014

Sounds like a great fun activity for celebrations :)

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