Papel Picado

Papel Picado: a cut paper decoration often seen at Mexican celebrations.

An excerpt from Wikipedia on its origins:

During the Aztec times, Aztecs used mulbery and fig tree barks to make a rough paper called “Amatl“. When tissue paper became available, artisans usually layer 40 to 50 layers of tissue and punch designs into them using “fierritos”, a type of chisel.

Middle school students now study Spanish under strands of Papel Picado, hand-cut and hung by seventh graders.