You’re standing in the backyard, holding a delicate, dyed eggshell. Your cousin is laughing, unaware, looking the other way. You reach out, squeeze just hard enough, and—crack—a shower of multicolored paper bits explodes over their head. That’s the magic of confetti eggs for Easter, though if you grew up in a Mexican-American household or spent time in San Antonio during Fiesta, you probably know them by their real name: cascarones.
Most people think these are just a messy alternative to chocolate bunnies. They aren't. They’re a centuries-old tradition that traveled from Asia to Italy, then to Mexico, and finally into the aisles of every H-E-B and Walmart in the American Southwest. There is a specific way to make them, a specific way to break them, and a very specific reason why you should never, ever use glitter if you value your friendships or your lawn.
The Weird History of the Cascarón
It started with perfume. Seriously.
Legend has it that Marco Polo brought the concept of "scented eggs" back from China to the royal courts of Italy. Back then, they weren't filled with paper. They were filled with expensive powders or perfumed water. Men would toss them at women they found attractive as a sort of high-society flirtation. By the time the tradition hit Spain and eventually Mexico in the mid-1800s—supposedly brought over during the short-lived reign of Emperor Maximilian—the perfume was swapped out for something cheaper: confetti or ash.
The name comes from the Spanish word cáscara, which literally means "shell." Today, they’ve become a staple of Easter Sunday and the massive Fiesta San Antonio celebration. If you get one cracked over your head, it’s not an insult. It’s actually a sign of good luck. Or at least, that’s what we tell the people who have to pick paper out of their hair for the next three days.
Why Quality Varies So Much
Have you ever tried to crack a store-bought confetti egg and ended up basically punching your friend in the skull because the shell was as hard as a rock? That’s the problem with mass-produced versions. Commercial manufacturers often use thicker shells or heavy glazes to prevent breakage during shipping.
Authentic, handmade confetti eggs for Easter use real poultry eggs that have been carefully blown out or "tapped." When you make them at home, the shell stays thin and brittle. It shatters instantly. It’s a sensory thing—the light snap of the shell and the immediate flutter of the paper.
If you're buying them, look for the ones in the flimsy cardboard egg cartons rather than plastic shrink-wrap. The less "finished" they look, the better they usually perform. You want a shell that yields. You don't want a concussion.
Making Your Own: The "Not-So-Perfect" Process
Forget the Pinterest tutorials that tell you to use a drill. That’s overkill. Just use a heavy needle or the tip of a paring knife. You want a hole about the size of a dime at the "butt" (the wider end) of the egg.
- Shake the contents out. Make an omelet. Don't waste the food.
- Rinse the inside with a mix of water and a little vinegar. If you skip this, your confetti eggs will smell like a sulfur mine within 48 hours. Not great for a festive party.
- Let them dry upside down. Completely. If the inside is damp, the confetti clumps together and falls out in one sad, heavy wad instead of a cloud.
- Use a funnel—or a rolled-up piece of paper—to stuff them.
Now, let’s talk about the filling. Do not use plastic glitter. It’s an environmental nightmare and it sticks to scalps like industrial glue. Traditionalists use papel picado scraps or simple tissue paper. Some people even put a small toy or a lucky coin inside, though I’d argue that’s a lawsuit waiting to happen if you’re swinging it at someone’s forehead.
Cover the hole with a small square of tissue paper and a dab of glue or flour paste. Dye the eggs after they’re filled if you want a uniform look, or dye the shells beforehand for a more vibrant, mismatched aesthetic.
The Strategy of the Crack
There is a technique here. Beginners usually just slam the egg down. Don't do that.
The "expert" move is to crush the egg slightly in your hand just as it makes contact with the target. This ensures the confetti disperses widely. If you’re playing with kids, it’s often kinder to crush the egg in your palm over their head rather than cracking it directly on their crown.
Some families have a "no-face" rule. Stick to it. Getting a shard of eggshell or a piece of purple tissue paper in the eye ruins the Easter egg hunt pretty fast.
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Environmental Impact and Cleanup
Let’s be honest: confetti is litter. If you're using confetti eggs for Easter in a public park, you need to be responsible. Most store-bought confetti is now biodegradable, but "biodegradable" doesn't mean "disappears in five minutes." It means it won't be there in six months.
- Pro Tip: Use a leaf blower. If you’re doing this on a patio or driveway, a leaf blower will gather 90% of the debris into a corner in seconds.
- The Grass Issue: If you're on a lawn, just accept it. The paper will eventually break down with the rain, provided it's actual paper and not metallic Mylar.
- Bird Safety: Never use birdseed as a filler. While it sounds eco-friendly, birdseed is hard. Cracking a shell full of hard seeds against someone's head actually hurts.
Where to Buy the Best Ones
If you aren't up for the DIY struggle, you can find high-quality cascarones at local Mexican bakeries (panaderías) starting about a month before Easter. These are often made by local grandmothers or community groups as fundraisers. They are infinitely better than the neon-colored ones at the big-box stores.
In 2026, we’re seeing a shift toward "seed-paper" confetti. These are eggs filled with tiny circles of paper embedded with wildflower seeds. When the party is over and the rain hits the lawn, you actually get a garden out of the mess. It’s a brilliant way to handle the cleanup problem while keeping the tradition alive.
Actionable Steps for Your Easter Celebration
- Check the Material: Before buying, squeeze the egg carton slightly. If the shells feel like plastic or thick ceramic, skip them. They won't break easily.
- Set Ground Rules: Before the "war" starts, tell everyone: no faces, no ears, and no "double-tapping" (hitting someone twice with the same hand).
- Prepare the Hair: If you have long or textured hair, maybe wear a hat. Or just be ready for a very long shower. The shells have a way of hiding in braids.
- Support Local: Check Etsy or local Hispanic markets. You’ll get a more authentic product and support a tradition that’s been around since before the U.S. was a country.
Ultimately, cascarones are about the joy of a mess. It’s one of the few times a year where breaking something is actually a polite gesture. Just keep the vacuum handy and the glitter in the craft drawer.