
A cascarón (plural cascarones, without accent mark; from Spanish ''cascarón'', "eggshell", the augmentative form of ''cáscara'', "shell"), known as huevo chimbo in Central America, is a hollowed-out chicken
egg
An egg is an organic vessel grown by an animal to carry a possibly fertilized egg cell (a zygote) and to incubate from it an embryo within the egg until the embryo has become an animal fetus that can survive on its own, at which point the ...
filled with
confetti
Confetti are small pieces or streamers of paper, mylar or metallic material, usually thrown at celebrations, especially parades and weddings. The origins are from the Latin ''confectum'', with ''confetti'' the plural of Italian ''confetto'', ...
or small toys. Cascarones are common throughout
Mexico
Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
and are similar to the
Easter egg
Easter eggs, also called Paschal eggs, are eggs that are decorated for the Christian holiday of Easter, which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus. As such, Easter eggs are commonly used during the season of Eastertide (Easter season). The ...
s popular in many other countries. They are mostly used in Mexico during
Carnival
Carnival (known as Shrovetide in certain localities) is a festive season that occurs at the close of the Christian pre-Lenten period, consisting of Quinquagesima or Shrove Sunday, Shrove Monday, and Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras.
Carnival typi ...
, but in American and Mexican border towns, the cultures combined to make them a popular Easter tradition.
Decorated, confetti-filled cascarones may be thrown or crushed over the recipient's head to shower them with confetti. This originated in
Spain
Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
. When a child would act up, their father would crack an egg over their head as a consequence, and a way of showing his disappointment in them. In addition to
Easter
Easter, also called Pascha ( Aramaic: פַּסְחָא , ''paskha''; Greek: πάσχα, ''páskha'') or Resurrection Sunday, is a Christian festival and cultural holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in t ...
, cascarones have become popular for occasions including birthdays, New Year's,
Halloween
Halloween, or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve), is a celebration geography of Halloween, observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christianity, Western Christian f ...
,
Cinco de Mayo
Cinco de Mayo (; ) is an annual celebration held on May 5 to celebrate Mexico's victory over the Second French Empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1862, led by General Ignacio Zaragoza. Zaragoza died months after the battle from an illness, ho ...
,
Dieciséis,
Day of the Dead
The Day of the Dead () is a holiday traditionally celebrated on November 1 and 2, though other days, such as October 31 or November 6, may be included depending on the locality. The multi-day holiday involves family and friends gathering to pa ...
, and weddings. Wedding cascarones can be filled with rice. Like many popular traditions in Mexico, cascarones are increasingly popular in the
southwestern United States
The Southwestern United States, also known as the American Southwest or simply the Southwest, is a geographic and cultural list of regions of the United States, region of the United States that includes Arizona and New Mexico, along with adjacen ...
.
For example, they are especially prominent during the two-week, citywide festival of
Fiesta in
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio ( ; Spanish for "Anthony of Padua, Saint Anthony") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in Greater San Antonio. San Antonio is the List of Texas metropolitan areas, third-largest metropolitan area in Texa ...
. Cascarones are usually made during Easter time.
In order to make cascarones, one can use a pin or knife to break a hole in the end of the eggshell and pour the contents out. The shell is then cleaned out, decorated as desired, and allowed to dry, before it is filled with confetti or a small toy. Usually, glue is applied around the outside of the hole and covered with tissue paper.
History
Cascarones are said to have been first brought to Europe by Marco Polo from China, where perfume-filled eggs were given as gifts.
A popular myth credits
Empress Carlota and
Emperor Maximilian with bringing cascarones to Mexico in the mid-1800s,
but they cannot have been the first. Accounts of weddings and celebrations in California as early as 1826 include accounts of cascarones, often as means for mischievous girls to attract the attention of eligible bachelors.
The
Los Angeles Star mentioned the eggs in an article about Christmas celebrations on January 4, 1855, saying, "In the city, cascarones commanded a premium, and many were complemented with them as a finishing touch to their headdress."
References
External links
South Arizona Folk Arts, University of Arizona from
ZOOMCracked-up Surprise
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cascaron
Easter egg
Mexican handicrafts
Arizona folklore
Texas folklore
American folk art