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Mardi Gras is a Christian holiday and popular cultural phenomenon that dates back thousands of years to pagan spring and fertility rites. Also known as Carnival or Carnaval, it’s celebrated in Mardi Gras (UK: / ˌ m ɑːr d i ˈ ɡ r ɑː /, US: / ˈ m ɑːr d i ɡ r ɑː /; [1] [2] also known as Shrove Tuesday) is the final day of Carnival (also known as Shrovetide or Fastelavn); it thus falls on the day before the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday. [3] Mardi Gras is a festive day celebrated in France on Shrove Tuesday (the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday), which marks the close of the pre-Lenten season. The French name Mardi Gras means Fat Tuesday, from the custom of using all the fats in the home before Lent. Whether you celebrate Mardi Gras for its connection to Christian traditions, its cultural significance, or simply for the fun and revelry, it remains an enduring and beloved festival. In places like New Orleans, Mardi Gras has become a symbol of the city’s identity, representing unity, diversity, and the joy of living life to the fullest. As At the heart of it, Mardi Gras is also a Christian holiday traced to pagan spring and fertility rites dating back thousands of years that has become a popular cultural phenomenon worldwide. And although Mardi Gras is today most closely associated with New Orleans, Louisiana, it is observed in hundreds of cities in more than fifty countries. What does Mardi Gras mean? Translated to English, "Mardi Gras" means "Fat Tuesday." Mardi is the French word for Tuesday, and gras means "fat." This name comes from the custom of eating all the fatty, rich foods in the house prior to Lent in order to prepare for fasting and abstinence. So, Fat Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras is so much more special when you understand what you’re celebrating and what each tradition means to the generations of parade-goers who have stood on parade routes before you. There is a story and a purpose behind everything you’ll experience during Carnival Time – from the king cake you’ll eat to the flambeaux who light the But Mardi Gras history actually extends all the way back to the days before Christianity in Ancient Rome, and has roots in pagan spring festivals. As with most other holidays with a deep heritage, the traditions and customs of Mardi Gras evolved as it moved through countries, continents, and centuries and became the raucous, joy-filled Mardi Gras wasn’t referred to as “Carnival” until 1781. New Orleans floats are traditionally known as tableaux cars. Mardi Gras meaning of beads: Mardi Gras “throws” (like beads) started in 1870. The first beads were necklaces made of glass beads and thrown into the crowd. The official colors of Mardi Gras are purple, green, and gold. The origins of Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras traces its roots to ancient Roman festivals like Saturnalia, which involved feasting and revelry. With the advent of Christianity, these traditions were adapted into Carnival—a period of indulgence before the austerity of Lent. Mardi Gras specifically refers to the day before Ash Wednesday, when people Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) is a festival held the day before Ash Wednesday, signifying the end of the Carnival season and the start of Lent. Many cities (especially those with large Catholic populations) like New Orleans are famous for their Mardi Gras. During Mardi Gras, almost everyone takes part in celebrating with lavish parades and parties Click on the Mardi Gras krewes below for further information about the krewe and to see their usual route for each parade. Please note: Events and activities are subject to change without notice. Stay tuned to the site for further info. Learning about Mardi Gras: fun Mardi Gras activities, lesson plans and printable worksheets, Mardi Gras games, teaching resources, engaging activities, and food origin information. Includes free coloring page printable pack to help you celebrate Mardi Gras with kids! Fun for Mardi Gras for Sunday school, student classroom lessons, homeschooling, and at home crafts for kids. Don't miss our free Mardi Gras, translated from French to English as Fat Tuesday, occurs the day before Lent begins on Ash Wednesday. The largest U.S. celebration of Mardi Gras takes place in New Orleans, La. Celebrations in New Orleans begin on Jan. 6, which is Epiphany, and lasts through Fat Tuesday. For many Mardi Gras parade-goers, gazing up at the masked float-riders can be an experience both awe-worthy and full of envy. How much fun they must be having, throwing beads, trinkets, and toys to massive crowds vying for their attention. Mardi Gras is a fundamentally Catholic celebration in which one partakes of indulgences prior to beginning the Lenten period of prayer and fasting. Today, Mardi Gras has been heavily secularized and associated with vice. Mardi Gras is the day before Ash Wednesday. Commenter VaguelyCreepy had a few notes on Mardi Gras beads that are probably good to keep close to this page: A few notes on the Mardi Gras beads: They come in all colors, so pink isn’t particularly unusualy, though it could still fit if the doctor specifically chose that color for that reason. The king of Mardi Gras himself, Arthur Hardy is your go-to guy for information on parade routes, krewes, Mardi Gras royalty, and everything in between. You can find it all in the Arthur Hardy Mardi Gras Guide, which has been published since 1977 and contains 160 pages of facts, photos, and fun. Order your guide here. B - Beads And wait till you hear the ingredient list: 4,000 pounds of Danish flour, 286 pounds of yeast, 428 dozen eggs, 1,178 pounds of water, 8.925 gallons of flavoring, 2,087 pounds of icing, 331 pounds
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