Comments on: Taking a bat to Christmas

Question: Taking a bat to Christmas

puckish — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:02:26 -0800

What have *you* always wanted to find inside a pinata?

I'm going home for Christmas this year, and instead of gift-wrapping presents I want to make personalized pinatas for everyone in my family. Partly to jazz up the kind of rote Amazon wish-listing part of Christmas -- mostly because I think it will be awesome to have giant eyeballs, spiders, and octopi hanging under the tree for the month of December.

The problem? What to put in them! Specifically, what do you put in a pinata that's NOT candy? I've got the wrapping down -- can the hive mind help me with the gifting? Requirements include:

- Relatively indestructable. I'm not sure how seriously they're going to unwrapping, but my brother especially kind of likes to hit things.

- Thematically linked? So I can spend most of my time making the pinatas, rather than finding awesome, highly specific gifts for each person.

- Worth the effort! No stocking stuffers here -- I still want them to be actual gifts.

- Must fit easily inside a pinata (a papier-mache container roughly the size of a balloon)

I'm at a complete loss here --- usually I just give people books and music based on whatever I happen to be reading at the moment, but this seems kind of lame. Thoughts? What would you want to find inside, after having just smashed open your Christmas gift?

By: thinkingwoman

thinkingwoman — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:07:42 -0800

i always thought money and/or bouncy rubber balls would provide the most entertainment. i would fear for your family's safety, however.

i don't know what would both be indestructible and a fabulous gift (besides kryptonite?). how about gift cards to something reasonably assured not to go out of business in the next year, like amazon or target?

By: pravit

pravit — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:12:57 -0800

Definitely money. Canadian loonies or the new US $1 coins would be nice.

By: Wet Spot

Wet Spot — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:14:01 -0800

Krugerrands.

By: lore

lore — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:18:34 -0800

Little airline-size liquor bottles. I think a lot of them come in plastic bottles these days.

By: Juliet Banana

Juliet Banana — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:18:41 -0800

fun saver camera + gift card for photo developing

raver bracelets

nice socks (argyle trouser socks for the menfolk, patterned knee highs for the ladies)

By: robotot

robotot — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:18:57 -0800

A treasure map.

By: nitsuj

nitsuj — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:19:17 -0800

Pickles.

By: annaramma

annaramma — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:22:15 -0800

How about gift cards that correspond to the piñata?

- An animal (tickets to a natural history museum or aquarium)
- A favorite food or beverage (a gift certificate for a restaurant)
- Recreate a character from a children's story (a gift card to a bookstore)
- Reference to a favorite movie (movie tickets)
- ?

You won't be too restricted by the size or shape of the gift, but each person would receive a different present. You could make each gift special for the receiver and even reference personal or family inside jokes.

By: fire&wings

fire&wings — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:24:45 -0800

Ipods

By: divabat

divabat — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:26:48 -0800

Mini stuffed toys!

By: rmless

rmless — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:27:48 -0800

I would like real jewelry inside one of those fake plastic egg things (to protect it and also as a joke).

By: orthogonality

orthogonality — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:31:27 -0800

Dollar store toys.

By: Sassyfras

Sassyfras — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:37:55 -0800

A friend of the family did this for us one year and it was fabulous. The one thing I remember the most was the variety of herbal teas included.

How about some yummy smelling soaps?

By: Large Marge

Large Marge — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:47:13 -0800

a smaller, similar pinata, forever repeating. But that's my dream/nightmare.

By: NoraCharles

NoraCharles — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:49:07 -0800

Another pinata!

A card showing a donation you made in their name to The Human Fund...money for people.

By: HFSH

HFSH — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:24:40 -0800

Polyhedral dice.

By: miss lynnster

miss lynnster — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:46:35 -0800

Seconding superballs.

By: Airhen

Airhen — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:54:10 -0800

High-end candy.

By: gwenlister

gwenlister — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:54:16 -0800

Thirding bouncy balls. And springs! Also, things that make noise when they hit the ground! YAY! I just would love it to be a really exciting break with lots of loud things and things bouching and sproinging out at you rather than just falling straight down.

if the receiver has a pet, many pet toys jingle and bounce and stuff and would make for an awesome tumble while still being a good gift.

By: otolith

otolith — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:58:44 -0800

I don't know if this is something that your family members would be into, but I always like getting cool little tools or handy pocket knives (plenty more options at ye olde REI, too).

By: neroli

neroli — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:04:27 -0800

USB sticks filled with music and pictures (including pictures of the pre-smashed pinatas themselves).

By: np312

np312 — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:05:14 -0800

Not spiders. Though I've always thought that would be the best evil thing to fill a pinata with.

As far as actual gifts go, you could do anything as long as you wrapped them in bubble wrap.

Also, you could fill it with the insides of a good board game, for example the cards and pieces and such, to give the satisfying "explosion of particles" effect.

By: jtfowl0

jtfowl0 — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:14:16 -0800

For the family member that's on the naughty list, you could stop at the butcher's and get a big bag of pig/sheep guts and fill the pinata with that. No way anyone would see that coming and it would be way awesomer than the traditional coal.

By: c lion

c lion — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:18:47 -0800

Small kitchen gadgets for the cook in the family. Golf tees, balls, and other small accessories for the golfer. Small leather accessories such as wallets and belts. Mini packages of gourmet coffees and teas. Scarves, gloves socks. Gift cards. Bath accessories and perfumes. Fancy writing pens and moleskine notebooks.

By: metaname

metaname — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:26:22 -0800

Little bottles of liquor and pocket knives.

By: bondcliff

bondcliff — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:51:25 -0800

Jell-o

By: lalochezia

lalochezia — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 18:35:14 -0800

A portal to another world

Sparkly special effects stars

Karl Rove, but miniaturized

The new shmoo

--

OK

Seriously? a series of instructions inside those little eggs (that normally contain small toys), that lead me to my gift.

By: emd3737

emd3737 — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 18:47:57 -0800

If you're making them, it would be fun to have each pinata be the head of the recipient. Your family might find it weird, but mine would certainly think it hilarious and awesome.

By: puckish

puckish — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 19:47:40 -0800

Oh man! Lots of good ideas here - some thoughts in response:

1) Foreign currency is a beautiful thing to have rain from the sky 2) Suggestions for good games? What are games people might actually want to play, once we pick up the pieces? 3) Kindereggs! (in response to lalochezia) 4) A treasure hunt --> piracy --> foreign currency buried in the backyard.

Clearly my head is in the wrong place: stuffing is much more important than actual gifts.

I'm thinking, actually, that a really simple gift for each would be nice -- great music that I like, a notebook, maybe photos! I really like the USB idea -- it's nice and personal without having to buy a lot of stuff. Ooo - photos from family trips! or, alternatively, wacky family gatherings. that would be neat. Incriminating photos, etc. (these, too, could rain from the sky)

Anyone know good places to get cheap board games? Or, alternatively, a million superballs?

By: Lesser Shrew

Lesser Shrew — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 20:03:57 -0800

You are missing the the point - what is inside is trivial. The pinata is there so you can, "blindfolded," hit bigger kids with a stick!

Every pinata is full of revenge!

By: cucumberfresh

cucumberfresh — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 20:17:40 -0800

Kinder eggs and punchball balloons.

By: Juliet Banana

Juliet Banana — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 21:11:19 -0800

A few more thoughts:

3D glasses

sunglasses (in a case for protection?)

gloves, preferably stuffed with something so they come flying out as disembodied hands

vintage scarves in every color from a thrift store

lighters if anyone smokes. see also: rolling papers, packets of loose tobacco, packs of cigarettes.

hair bobbles and clips for young girls

chapstick or lip gloss

chick tracts

small sketchbook with a whole package of markers emptied in with them

96 box of crayolas

travel dopp kit, though woe be to the one who gets the nail scissor to the eye

stamped postcards, nice pens

mini maglights

tickets to the art museum, beret, moleskine, nice sketchpencils

packing peanuts

traditional mexican candy if they've never had a real pinata, all off-brand character filled with sweets from the mercado bashed up by a bunch of kids hopped up on tres leches: limon 7, vero mango, vero elote, pica, and tamarind in any form you can find it. any latino grocer should be able to hook you up.

if you weren't giving them to family, i'd totally say PANTIES!!!!

shoelaces for the sneak freak

stick of sumi-e, ink grinding stone, brushes

sewing kit (again, careful with the scissors, but those rolls of thead would be fun)

By: corey flood

corey flood — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 21:46:58 -0800

Check party supply stores for bags of superballs. I'd also recommend glitter or confetti (or both!) for maximum explosion upon impact.

By: kjs4

kjs4 — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 22:39:05 -0800

Tinsel. Shiny, and who doesn't need more tinsel?!

By: Thorzdad

Thorzdad — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 04:19:06 -0800

Pudding

By: Meagan

Meagan — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 06:44:05 -0800

I'd love a pinata filled with smaller pinatas (but not nesting ones, just many smaller ones, each with a bit of candy inside). The look on the face of the pinata cracker would be awesome.

By: crazycanuck

crazycanuck — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 07:14:33 -0800

Wind-up toys. Wouldn't it be cool if whatever dropped from the pinata twitched and jerked and tried to walk away?

By: allkindsoftime

allkindsoftime — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 07:48:20 -0800

Left feet.

By: junipero

junipero — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 07:51:32 -0800

scratch off lottery tickets. and condoms, obviously.

By: andromache

andromache — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 09:46:13 -0800

I love this idea. I will be copying it.

By: AceRock

AceRock — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:31:21 -0800

Bees

By: elizardbits

elizardbits — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:42:36 -0800

My fantasy pinata would be filled with bacon, tiny cans of beer, and money. Practically, however, I'd have to nth the giant exploding heap of superballs.

By: pracowity

pracowity — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 06:21:43 -0800

Turns out it's a mummy.