The Colors of Mardi Gras!

We celebrate Mardi Gras this year on February 21st. It is a time of parades, beads, masks and costumes and festivities.

Mardi Gras marks the last day of the Carnival season, a period of rich feasting and frivolity which follows Epiphany and is the day before Ash Wednesday when Lent begins. It’s a floating holiday and the date of Mardi Gras varies slightly because it must fall 47 days before Easter Sunday.

Mardi Gras celebrations have their origins in the ancient Roman festival, Lupercalia. It is considered the last great indulgence before the 40-day fasting period of Lent.

Mardi Gras is French for “Fat Tuesday.” Fat Tuesday started back in 1857. Then in 1872, some business men invented a King of the Carnival named "Rex." Rex is chosen each year by the School of Design in New Orleans.

The first Mardi Gras parade in the United States was in 1837. The first “throw” (beads or small trinkets) happened in 1871 when a krewe member dressed up as Santa Claus and tossed gifts to parade revelers. (Krewe is a non-profit organization or club participating in a parade.)

It was the first Rex that selected the colors of Mardi Gras and the significance they hold. The colors of purple, gold, and green have their roots in political and religious arenas.  Purple stands for justice, green for faith, and gold for power.

You might want to think about how you could use the colors of Mardi Gras in your home!

Here are some pictures to spark your imagination on how you might go about it! A little pop of purple, gold and green or an entire room the choice is yours!

Celebrate Good Times

Source: Blue Mountain, Pinterest