How To Make Cascarones or Confetti Eggs

Stuff hollowed out eggs with confetti and reseal these with a little white glue and tissue paper. It you are going to dye the eggs first allow the water to drain out of the hollowed egg shells thoroughly before adding the confetti. If you don't have the time to make your own confetti, this may be purchased at craft stores. If you are going to break the eggs outside, you can also fill confetti eggs with bird seed instead.
 
      Cascarones or confetti eggs are festive, hollowed-out chicken eggs filled with confetti or small toys. They are rumored to have originated in China and brought to Europe by Marco Polo. In Italy they were first used as a courting ritual, filled with perfume and then capped with wax. Men would throw them at women they found attractive. The custom then traveled to Spain and was later brought to Mexico in the mid-1800s by Emperor Maximilian’s wife. It was in Mexico that the perfumed powder was replaced with confetti.

      In Spanish, cáscara means eggshell. Cascarones are similar to the Easter eggs popular in many other countries. They are mostly used in Mexico during Carnival, but in US and Mexico border the cultures combined making them a popular Easter tradition.

      Decorated, confetti-filled cascarones may be thrown or crushed over the recipient's head to shower him or her with confetti. In addition to Easter, cascarones have become popular for occasions including birthdays, Halloween, Cinco de Mayo, Dieciséis, Day of the Dead, and weddings (wedding cascarones can be filled with birdseed). Like many popular traditions in Mexico, cascarones are increasingly popular in the southwestern United States. For example, they are especially prominent during the two-week, city-wide festival of Fiesta in San Antonio, Texas.

      Having a cascarón broken over one's head is said to bring good luck.

      In order to make Cascarones, one can use a pin or knife to break a hole on the end of the egg and pour the egg out. The shell must then be cleaned out. Decorate it as desired and let dry. Then fill with confetti or a small toy. Apply glue around the outside of the hole and cover with tissue paper.

How to make Cascarones or confetti eggs.

 

• Color The Tree of Life

 

April by Robert B. Shearer, age 11
Loving April's come at last.
Hurrah, for stormy March is past!
Oh, Spring, Spring, Spring,
Can't you hear the birds sing?
And can't you see the April showers
That we all know will make May flowers?

An Easter Bonnet Collage Competition

Video of a annual school Easter bonnet competition.

      Your school can sponsor a Easter Bonnet Contest for Spring. I've included an ad below from the The Day Book. Chicago Ill. 1915. The pictures have been cleaned and resized here at our blog for teachers to promote an Easter bonnet drawing competition of their very own. 

      I have also included a collage example using the same template. My students snipped and glued all kinds of fuzzy, furry tactile elements to their Easter bonnets, instead of drawing on them.

Easter bonnet collage made with template below
and construction paper, pom poms, feathers, chenille
stems etc... Girls Win Your Easter Hat!

"Sketch your idea of an attractive spring bonnet above this face. Then fill out the blank and mail it to the Fashion Editor of The Day Book. A different face will be printed for four days, today, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Send in as many drawings as you wish as long as they are all drawn on pictures clipped from The Day Book. This contest closes March 29. The winner will be presented with an Easter bonnet, like her design, Free. The materials must not exceed $10.00 in cost."

Simple Painted Cross Craft

This video of a little painted cross craft is by Ministry-To-Children. You can download the template here. I love this web based children's ministry. This children's ministry was founded by Tony Kummer; he is the young man speaking in the video above. Lots of great stuff to read on his web pages. Enjoy.

Craft a Cross Shaped Book

I really like Grancie's little accordion cross book for teaching Christian concepts about Easter. She has made many classroom videos that may be viewed on her youtube video channel here.

The Wind by Maud M. Johnson

The wind is very busy,

He's sweeping with might and main;

He's sweeping the clouds from the 

stormy sky

So that it shall not rain.

He's sweeping up the leaves

That littered the country lane;

And now he sweeps with delicious breath

The dust from my tired brain. 

Maud M. Johnson.