ROMPER: One Teaspoon (also here) // BEADS: Etsy // MASK: Etsy // WINE GLASSES: Wayfair // BALLOONS: Etsy
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Happy Fat Tuesday + Happy Mardi Gras ya’ll! Coming at you live from New Orleans, LA! This is my very first time visiting the city, let alone, being here during the biggest and most popular time of the year: Mardi Gras season! Although it’s 2021, and things look A LOT different than typical years in NOLA, we still found a way to have fun inside! To get in the spirit of festival season, I’m sharing a few ways to decorate + have fun no matter the circumstances, and also 10 Mardi Gras facts I’ve learned!
Despite Mardi Gras being cancelled this year (but seriously- Bourbon Street was completely blocked off), and it being 20 degrees outside, we had a blast inside! Thanks to New Orlean Luxury Rentals for setting up this fun indoor balloon arch, decking us out in all the purple, gold and green, and giving us some yummy, and traditional NOLA treats (thank goodness for king cake)… we are set!
It’s all about setting the mood for the day, and with Mardi Gras season, I’ve learned the more the better! The more beads, the more color, the more crazy, the more funky, the more fun you’ll have 😉 I’m a huge fan of king cake, so having one made from the iconic Brennan’s restaurant here was such a treat (literally and figuratively)!
Here are some quick Mardi Gras facts I’ve learned that I thought were fun to share:
MARDI GRAS IS ALWAYS THE TUESDAY BEFORE ASH WEDNESDAY
Mardi Gras means “Fat Tuesday” in French. With Ash Wednesday marking the beginning of Lent, a 40 day period of fasting before Easter, Mardi Gras is the “last hurrah” of sorts, with participants indulging in their favorite fatty foods and drinks before giving them up.
MARDI GRAS MARKS THE END OF CARNIVAL SEASON
Countries around the world celebrate Mardi Gras as the last day of Carnival season, which starts after Christmas, on January 6th, (known as ‘Twelfth Night’).
THE OFFICIAL COLORS OF MARDI GRAS ARE PURPLE, GOLD, AND GREEN
Purple signifies justice, gold means power, and green stands for faith.
KING’S CAKE IS EATEN ALL THROUGHOUT CARNIVAL SEASON
King’s cake (or three kings cake), is eaten throughout the world during carnival season. In the US, it is traditionally purple, green, and gold, with a trinket baby Jesus inside. Whoever gets the baby Jesus is said to have good luck all year!
THE FIRST NEW ORLEANS MARDI GRAS PARADE WAS 177 YEARS AGO
New Orleans has been celebrating Fat Tuesday with parades since 1837. The first floats appeared in the parade in 1857.
PARADES ARE PLANNED BY ‘KREWES’
Krewes are organizations that puts on a parade and/or a ball for Mardi Gras/Carnvial. They are clubs of a sort, with dues ranging from $20 to thousands of dollars annually. Krewes are also responsible for selecting carnival royalty in New Orleans, such as ‘Rex’, the king of Mardi Gras.
MASKS ARE REQUIRED BY LAW FOR FLOAT RIDERS
Yep, it’s illegal to ride on a float without a mask! The original purpose of the mask was to get rid of social constraints for the day, allowing people to mingle with whomever they chose.
BEADS HAVE BEEN A TRADITION SINCE THE EARLY 1900’s
Beads were first thrown by Santa during a parade in the early 1900’s. It wasn’t until a few decades ago that they became synonymous with flashing. People also throw stuffed animals, toys and more.
Have you ever celebrated Mardi Gras?! I feel like it’s such a once in a lifetime opportunity, and despite this year’s circumstances, it’s still fun to be in such a great city with so much culture and history!