Woman Helps Children 'Beat the Heck' out of Coronavirus
2021-04-26
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1When the coronavirus pandemic began last year, Carolina Tolladay Vidal's party business suffered immediately.
2People cancelled parties and no one was buying piñatas from her business in the American state of Alaska.
3A piñata is a container usually filled with small treats -- like candies, fruits, or gifts.
4It is hung up at parties or celebrations.
5A person, likely a child, with eyes covered would hit a piñata with a stick.
6And the objects inside would fall to the ground for everyone.
7Tolladay Vidal told Alaska Public Media recently that many of her projects were moved to other dates.
8"Many," she added, "were canceled."
9She had to find new ideas to bring back her business.
10So, Tolladay Vidal decided to make large, red piñatas shaped like the coronavirus.
11After she shared an image of her handmade coronavirus piñata on social media, she said the orders started pouring in.
12She explained why so many people want to beat up a coronavirus-shaped piñata.
13"I think you really smash them and break them and hit them with meaning," she said, "because it has been tough for everybody."
14Rose Consenstein, age 8, agrees.
15She said, with her eyes covered, she could not see it.
16But that did not stop her from "beating the heck" out of a coronavirus piñata at her birthday party.
17Tolladay Vidal started her piñata business about four years ago.
18One of her daughters wanted a piñata shaped like "Cloud Guy," a character from the movie Trolls.
19She said she could not find one in stores or online.
20So, she said, 'Well, you know, it shouldn't be so hard to make up a piñata."
21Tolladay Vidal grew up in Mexico and spent years creating piñatas with her family.
22She said, "I have a memory of my grandma setting up all the grandchildren and helping her make a couple star piñatas with the seven points."
23Kate Consenstein is Rose's mother.
24She said the coronavirus piñatas were perfect for her daughter's outdoor, socially distanced birthday party.
25"Coronavirus," she said, "is the perfect villain for children."
26Children can "understand that this is the thing we want to defeat.
27There was so much cheering," she said, "when it exploded."
28I'm Anna Matteo.
1When the coronavirus pandemic began last year, Carolina Tolladay Vidal's party business suffered immediately. People cancelled parties and no one was buying piñatas from her business in the American state of Alaska. 2A piñata is a container usually filled with small treats -- like candies, fruits, or gifts. It is hung up at parties or celebrations. A person, likely a child, with eyes covered would hit a piñata with a stick. And the objects inside would fall to the ground for everyone. 3Tolladay Vidal told Alaska Public Media recently that many of her projects were moved to other dates. "Many," she added, "were canceled." 4She had to find new ideas to bring back her business. So, Tolladay Vidal decided to make large, red piñatas shaped like the coronavirus. 5After she shared an image of her handmade coronavirus piñata on social media, she said the orders started pouring in. 6She explained why so many people want to beat up a coronavirus-shaped piñata. "I think you really smash them and break them and hit them with meaning," she said, "because it has been tough for everybody." 7Rose Consenstein, age 8, agrees. She said, with her eyes covered, she could not see it. But that did not stop her from "beating the heck" out of a coronavirus piñata at her birthday party. 8Tolladay Vidal started her piñata business about four years ago. One of her daughters wanted a piñata shaped like "Cloud Guy," a character from the movie Trolls. 9She said she could not find one in stores or online. So, she said, 'Well, you know, it shouldn't be so hard to make up a piñata." 10Tolladay Vidal grew up in Mexico and spent years creating piñatas with her family. She said, "I have a memory of my grandma setting up all the grandchildren and helping her make a couple star piñatas with the seven points." 11Kate Consenstein is Rose's mother. She said the coronavirus piñatas were perfect for her daughter's outdoor, socially distanced birthday party. 12"Coronavirus," she said, "is the perfect villain for children." Children can "understand that this is the thing we want to defeat. There was so much cheering," she said, "when it exploded." 13I'm Anna Matteo. 14The Associated Press reported this story. Anna Matteo adapted it for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. 15_______________________________________________________ 16Words in This Story 17candy -n. a sweet food made with sugar or chocolate 18stick -n. a long thin piece of wood 19smash -v. to hit (something) violently and very hard 20tough -adj. very difficult to do or deal with 21heck -informal noun : used as a more polite form of "hell" 22character -n. a person in a story, play, or movie 23grandma -informal noun : the mother of one's father or mother 24couple -n. two persons married, engaged, or otherwise romantically paired 25outdoor -adj. done, used, or located outside a building 26villain -n. a character in a story, movie, etc., who does bad things