Do you know Mardi Gras is basically a Pagan celebration of Spring and Fertility? With the rise of Christianity, the Pagan Carnival Season was incorporated as a period of indulgence just before the 40-day penance and fasting season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday.
The Carnival Season begins on January 6 - the Feast of Epiphany, which is also known as the Kings Day or the Twelfth Night Day. Traditionally, on the Kings Day, people eat King Cakes.
The original King cakes were cinnamon-laced brioche-like cakes topped with icing and colored sugars were decorated in Purple that symbolized Justice, Green that symbolized Faith, and Gold that symbolized Power.
Some bakeries offer king cakes with fruit, cream cheese or chocolate feelings. Usually, they place a small plastic baby doll symbolizing Jesus in these cakes. Anyone who gets this baby doll is supposed to buy another King cake within the week.
In Spanish cultures, the King Cake or Twelfth Night Cake had a pea or bean hidden in it. Anyone who got this bean or pea was entitled to be the King or the Queen of the Masquerade of that night.
Mardi Gras marks the end of all the carnivals and is French for Fat Tuesday. Before undertaking the long fasts, people indulge in fatty foots and alcohol - hence the name.
The colourful costumes, lavish balls, gorgeous masks add to the glamour of the Mardi Gras parades. Some of the biggest parades and parties can be seen in New Orleans and Baton Rouge in Lousiana and Mobile, Alabama in the USA; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Cologne, Germany; and Italy.
An interesting Mardi Gras tradition is how parade krewes (organisers) throw out purple, green, golden and yellow beads, baubles and trinkets at the onlookers. Viewers (including tourists) go crazy in collecting these trinkets, even if they are worthless. It makes for a lot of fun and laughter during the carnival season and has become quite popular.
A popular misconceptions is that Mardi Gras is raunchy, where women strip and everyone reeks of alcohol. It is not so. Except for a few places, most of the areas are family-friendly where you can easily take your kids along with you. Just enquire a bit and you can have a lot of fun.
Mardi Gras 2014 is to be held on March 4. If you miss it this year, mark the date for next year - February 17, 2015.
A popular misconceptions is that Mardi Gras is raunchy, where women strip and everyone reeks of alcohol. It is not so. Except for a few places, most of the areas are family-friendly where you can easily take your kids along with you. Just enquire a bit and you can have a lot of fun.
Mardi Gras 2014 is to be held on March 4. If you miss it this year, mark the date for next year - February 17, 2015.
Be the Life of the Party! Happy Mardi Gras!
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