Koerner writes that the first to toss beads was a man dressed as Santa Claus. The beads were an instant hit and were soon adopted by all krewes to throw in their parades. According to John Roach's article, "The Rich History of Mardi Gras's Cheap Trinkets," early glass beads were imported from Czechoslovakia or Japan. Plastic beads rose to popularity as recently as the 1960s. The first recorded bead “throw” occurred in the mid- to late-1800s. Then, however, krewes threw beads created with handmade glass from Czechoslovakia. These more delicate beads were supplanted by the plastic throws that now account for over $11.8 million in sales. The History Behind 5 of New Orleans’ Favorite Mardi Gras Traditions 5 minute read A person walks among beads during a parade on Feb. 17, 2017, in New Orleans. 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. Today, Mardi Gras beads can be found in various sizes, shapes, and colors. The most popular size today is about thirty-three inches long. They are also now made with cheaper and safer materials like plastic and aluminum rather than glass. Traditional Mardi Gras beads are purple, green, and gold colors. Hand-strung glass beads quickly became the must-have Mardi Gras souvenir. Japanese mercury glass beads, made during WWII, were the first Mardi Gras beads, followed by crystal beads made in Czechoslovakia. Then, in the 1960s, plastic came onto the scene and beads became longer, bigger, and customizable for each krewe. Every year, as winter fades and spring approaches, the streets of New Orleans explode with color, music, and celebration. Mardi Gras, the grandest festival in Louisiana, is famous for its parades, beads, masked revelers, and deep cultural traditions. The first in a new LSU Press series exploring facets of Louisiana’s iconic culture, Mardi Gras Beads delves into the history of this celebrated New Orleans artifact, explaining how Mardi Gras beads came to be in the first place and how they grew to have such an outsize presence in New Orleans celebrations. The History of New Orleans Mardi Gras . Although the date of the first organized celebration of Mardi Gras in New Orleans is debatable, the 1730 account of one Marc-Antoine Caillot (a young clerk sent to Louisiana by the French Company of the Indies) mentions a celebration with music and dance, mask-wearing and costumes—including cross-dressing. Come shop the largest selection of Glass bead Necklaces! Sort by Featured Best Selling Alphabetically, A-Z Alphabetically, Z-A Price, low to high Price, high to low Date, new to old Date, old to new Grid view List view There are a wide variety of beads at Mardi Gras. Most krewes toss out Mardi Gras beads, and some krewes even have their own custom beads (in the colors of their krewe) to represent them. The more traditional Mardi Gras beads were in the colors of Mardi Gras. Each color of beads has its own meaning! Colors of Mardi Gras. The first Mardi Gras Check out our vintage glass mardi gras beads selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our beads shops.
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