i want to make a pinata but i dont have newspaper, but i have lots of other papers. what kind of material could you use instead?
Answer from Piñata Boy
Any kind of paper that absorbs water can be used to make a piñata. People normally use newspaper because 1) it’s cheap (or free if they already have it on hand), 2) it’s thin and absorbs water well, and 3) it tears easily, both when you’re using it and when you’re breaking the piñata. If you don’t have any newspaper, you can ask your neighbors or check your local grocery store for a free weekly newspaper. Where I live we have a free weekly paper that comes out on Thursdays, so if I need newspaper I’ll run to the store late on Wednesday and grab a few copies that are destined for recycling anyway, before the new edition comes out.
You can use thicker paper like computer printer paper, but you’ll want to let it soak in the papier mâché bath for… I don’t know, maybe 30-60 seconds or so, to allow the papier mâché a chance to really soak in. Glossy advertising paper is not good for making piñatas because the glossy surface is not very absorbent. Just make sure the paper is fully saturated with water before you take it out to apply it to the piñata.
You do need some kind of paper or other absorbent material to hold the papier mâché together, however. In Exodus in the Old Testament, the Israelite slaves in Egypt were making bricks out of mud and straw. The mud made up the bulk of the brick, and the straw held the mud together. Instead of mud and straw we’re using a flour/water mixture and strips of paper, but the principle is the same. The newspaper can be replaced by paper, cloth, or even straw, but we need some kind of absorbent material to hold the papier mâché together and in place.
Good luck!