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I legitimately did not realize this was pretty much a week of holidays when I wrote my comment about how many holidays are in February yesterday. I guess the perk here is that I now have a bunch of topics to write about.
So, today is Fat Tuesday, also known as the day of the Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Mardi Gras actually translates to "fat Tuesday" in French. The story behind Mardi Gras is pretty interesting. Most people probably already know that Mardi Gras is the day before Ash Wednesday which signifies the start of Lent. If you aren't familiar with Lent, it represents the period where Jesus went into the desert for 40 days and nights and resisted the temptation of the devil. It is therefore acknowledged by Christians as a time of self discipline, usually in the form of "giving something up." I'll give you some more information on Lent tomorrow. Today has become something of a last hurrah before reflection and reserve of Lent.
Here are some of the origins of traditional Fat Tuesday celebrations:
Since I usually give up desserts for Lent, I like to consider Fat Tuesday to be a literal interpretation. However, it's actual name is derived from the original tradition of slaughtering a fattened calf for the feast. Looks like I've been celebrating wrong for years.
Mardi Gras ends abruptly at midnight and it's not optional. Hordes of street sweepers hit New Orleans at 12:00 and begin literally pushing the party goers off the streets and clearing away the beads, streamers, and confetti.
The French, always up for a good party, first celebrated Mardi Gras in New Orleans with masquerade balls and parties.. That is, until the Spaniards came in as epic killjoys and made them stop in the mid-1700's. The ban stayed in effect even after New Orleans came under the jurisdiction of the United States government. Finally, in 1827, the parties reestablished.
Interestingly the official colors of Mardi Gras were not determined until later. As Mardi Gras, at this point, still was a Catholic celebration, each color's representation is rooted in the Church. Green represented faith, purple represented justice, and gold represented power.
The idea of the "Queen of Mardi Gras" was born by the Twelfth Night Revelers. They're first Mardi Gras was in 1870. The following year, 1871, the came up with the idea of presenting a cake with a golden bean in it to a young woman. Whoever had the bean was crowned. Later silver beans were added. The ladies who received these beans were the Queen's Maids.
The beads and doubloons are tossed from parade floats. Many sites I have looked at written by native New Orleans...people (New Orleaners? New Orleanians?) are adamant to explain women do not have to expose themselves to receive beads. Mardi Gras is considered a family affair and women who are caught flashing do run the risk of being arrested. Additionally, it worth noting the aforementioned actions of Mardi Gras occur in the French Quarter's sleazy area, populated with strip joints and other classy establishments.
Sources:
http://www.americancatholic.org/features/mardigras/
http://www.eastjeffersonparish.com/culture/MARDIGRA/HISTORY/history.htm
http://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/quartermardi.html
So, today is Fat Tuesday, also known as the day of the Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Mardi Gras actually translates to "fat Tuesday" in French. The story behind Mardi Gras is pretty interesting. Most people probably already know that Mardi Gras is the day before Ash Wednesday which signifies the start of Lent. If you aren't familiar with Lent, it represents the period where Jesus went into the desert for 40 days and nights and resisted the temptation of the devil. It is therefore acknowledged by Christians as a time of self discipline, usually in the form of "giving something up." I'll give you some more information on Lent tomorrow. Today has become something of a last hurrah before reflection and reserve of Lent.
Here are some of the origins of traditional Fat Tuesday celebrations:
Since I usually give up desserts for Lent, I like to consider Fat Tuesday to be a literal interpretation. However, it's actual name is derived from the original tradition of slaughtering a fattened calf for the feast. Looks like I've been celebrating wrong for years.
Mardi Gras ends abruptly at midnight and it's not optional. Hordes of street sweepers hit New Orleans at 12:00 and begin literally pushing the party goers off the streets and clearing away the beads, streamers, and confetti.
Interestingly the official colors of Mardi Gras were not determined until later. As Mardi Gras, at this point, still was a Catholic celebration, each color's representation is rooted in the Church. Green represented faith, purple represented justice, and gold represented power.
The idea of the "Queen of Mardi Gras" was born by the Twelfth Night Revelers. They're first Mardi Gras was in 1870. The following year, 1871, the came up with the idea of presenting a cake with a golden bean in it to a young woman. Whoever had the bean was crowned. Later silver beans were added. The ladies who received these beans were the Queen's Maids.
The beads and doubloons are tossed from parade floats. Many sites I have looked at written by native New Orleans...people (New Orleaners? New Orleanians?) are adamant to explain women do not have to expose themselves to receive beads. Mardi Gras is considered a family affair and women who are caught flashing do run the risk of being arrested. Additionally, it worth noting the aforementioned actions of Mardi Gras occur in the French Quarter's sleazy area, populated with strip joints and other classy establishments.
Sources:
http://www.americancatholic.org/features/mardigras/
http://www.eastjeffersonparish.com/culture/MARDIGRA/HISTORY/history.htm
http://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/quartermardi.html
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