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The throwing of trinkets to the crowds was started in the early 1870s by the Twelfth Night Revelers, and is a time-honored expectation for young and old alike. Read more. Mardi Gras throws are strings of beads, doubloons, cups, or other trinkets passed out or thrown from the floats for Mardi Gras celebrations, particularly in New Orleans, the Mobile, Alabama, and parades throughout the Gulf Coast of the United States, to spectators lining the streets. The "gaudy plastic jewelry, toys, and other mementos [are These include only visiting for Mardi Gras, picking up beads from the floor, staying only in the French Quarter, walking alone at night in unfamiliar areas, drinking from a glass bottle in public, eating at chain restaurants, sightseeing on a Monday when many attractions may be closed, and thinking voodoo gift shops sell the real thing. The typical colors of Mardi Gras beads, also called “throws,” were established in 1872. The traditional colors of the beads are purple, green, and gold, which represent justice, faith, and ⌛ History of Mardi Gras Beads. Mardi Gras beads have a rich history in New Orleans, especially in the French Quarter. The tradition of throwing Mardi Gras beads to spectators during the parade started in the early 1870s with an individual dressed as Santa Claus passing out gifts to spectators as he passed by. Wikipedia Float riders toss beads, cups and doubloons to fans and revelers in the 2013 Krewe of Bacchus Mardi Gras Parade on Feb. 10, 2013, in New Orleans Skip Bolen—Getty Images Beads and Throws In the '70s and '80s aluminum and plastic beads became ubiquitous at Mardi Gras parades. Logically we can assume it's because they're cheaper, easier to mass produce and less likely to injure The tradition of throwing beads at Mardi Gras started in the early 1900s, and it was initially just small glass beads. However, the practice really took off in the 1960s, when plastic beads became more widely available, and the size and variety of beads increased. The meaning behind Mardi Gras beads is steeped in symbolism. New Orleans' efforts to reduce Mardi Gras waste and reuse beads and throws have been ongoing for decades and involve a complicated web of community groups, leaders and businesses. Carnival lasts Mardi Gras can make a lot of trash, adding up to millions of pounds each year. Now, some parades in New Orleans are cutting down on their environmental footprint by banning plastic beads. Krispy Kreme Is Giving Away Free Doughnuts for Mardi Gras . Fat Tuesday falls on March 4 this year and anyone who dons Mardi Gras beads of any color—though most traditionally they're purple, gold, and green—on a visit to a Krispy Kreme shop that day gets one free Original Glazed Doughnut. Beads Beyond Mardi Gras: Year-Round Meaning. Although Mardi Gras is the most prominent time to flaunt bead necklaces, their significance extends beyond the festive season. In New Orleans, bead necklaces are also associated with other events and occasions such as Saints football games, music festivals, and various parades throughout the year. The thing to remember when it comes to celebrating Mardi Gras is that flashing for beads isn’t considered a tradition by the locals, so, obviously, you don’t have to feel pressured to do it. Some Mardi Gras parades are banning one of their most colorful traditions - tossing out plastic beads. Organizers are trying to cut down on the millions of pounds of trash they make each year. Matt Bloom with member station WWNO stepped out on the streets of New Orleans for a closer look. (SOUNDBITE Mardi Gras parades have a reputation for making a lot of trash. But some organizers are trying to change that by banning one of the most colorful Mardi Gras traditions, the tossing of plastic beads into the crowd. Matt Bloom with Member station WWNO takes us on a recent parade on the streets of New Orleans where plastic beads were notably absent. It has absolutely nothing to do with the real Mardi Gras celebration. Unfortunately, sex makes more news, so every news camera visiting our beautiful city for Mardi Gras heads for the spring break crowd on Bourbon Street instead of giving adequate coverage to those who spend thousands of dollars and months of time planning this holiday season. Organizers said more than 250,000 people come to the island over the two weekends of the Mardi Gras celebration. Their favorite part is giving – and receiving – the beads. “Just throwing Mardi Gras is seen as the last day to have fun and sin before this period of moderation starts. Even though usually the participants of Mardi Gras and lent probably don't overlap very much that's where the tradition comes from. It has absolutely nothing to do with the real Mardi Gras celebration. Unfortunately, sex makes more news, so every news camera visiting our beautiful city for Mardi Gras heads for the spring break crowd on Bourbon Street instead of giving adequate coverage to those who spend thousands of dollars and months of time planning this holiday season. The Arc of Acadiana hosts an annual bead drive to collect used Mardi Gras beads to re-stock our inventory of beads, which are then sold at our 6 resale stores and 3 Day program locations in Lafayette, Iberia, and St. Landry parishes for tossing off floats.
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