Mardi Gras February 9th 0

mardi-gras-mask-on-stick-sequined-1New Orleans is one popular town come carnival season, better known by the final day, Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras falls early this year, February 9th to be exact. Street parades and processions that have been a hallmark of the celebrations since the late 1700’s begin later this month. Purple, green and gold, the colors of Mardi Gras, go back to 1872, when they were selected to honor a visiting Russian Grand Duke. Today we continue the tradition of Mardi Gras celebrations with our green, gold and purple Mardi Gras beads, Mardi Gras masks, Mardi Gras balloons and decorations. Sure, not all of us will have the opportunity to see the Mardi Gras Indian parade, one of the highlights of the New Orleans events, but that won’t stop us from celebrating.  If you are hosting a grand Mardi Gras celebration with friends and family either on Fat Tuesday or, more likely, the weekend before, why not greet your guests with a tub of Mardi Gras beads as well as the aroma of your Mardi Gras gumbo simmering on the kitchen stove.  Mardi Gras scene setters make for a quick and easy way to decorate a room. And, of course, adding a low height Mardi Gras balloon bouquet is a simple and cost-effective way to decorate the tables. You can order your King Cake for a Mardi Gras celebration from local bakeries. This is a pre-Lent cake that you can eat from the twelfth day after Christmas until the end of Fat Tuesday. And be sure to set the rules ahead of time – will the one who finds the baby in the cake host the next party or provide the cake at next year’s party?