Celebrating Mardi Gras

Hi readers! It's time for a quick quiz:

What does "Mardi Gras" mean?

A. Merry Monday

B. Wild Wednesday

C. Fat Tuesday

D. Happy Thursday

If you guessed "C." you are correct!

Today is the wildest, craziest holiday in NOLA--Mardi Gras! This holiday refers to events that begin King's Day (which begins January 6, or "twelfth night") and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday, which occurs tomorrow. The history of Mardi Gras can be traced to Medieval Europe through the 17th and 18th century House of Bourbons (which is where we get the name Bourbon Street) with the traditional revelry of "Boeuf Gras," or fatted calf. This tradition followed France to the colonies. When French explorer Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville  arrived to claim the territory "Fort Louis de Louisiane," (present-day Mobile, Alabama) just south of present-day New Orleans, he brought the tradition with him.

In 1804, Mobile established a secret society similar to current Mardi Gras krewes, or organizations that put on parade and balls for the occasion. In 1710, "the Boeuf Gras Society" was formed, and they paraded a huge bull's head on wheels. New Orleans was established in 1718 by Bienville, and the first Mardi Gras celebration in that city was celebrated in the 1830s. During the 1740s, the day was celebrated with high-society balls, which set the standard for present-day Mardi Gras celebrations.

In 1781, the first "Carnival" was celebrated by a club called the Perseverance Benefit & Mutual Aid Association. By the late 1830s, the city of New Orleans held parades with maskers with carriages and horseback riders to celebrate the occasion. The first daytime parade was held in 1872, where a group of revelers invented "King of Carnival, Rex" to preside over the parade. In honor of the visit of Russian Grand Duke Alexis Romanoff, the colors purple (justice), green (faith), and gold (power) became the official colors of the Carnival. Mardi Gras became a legal holiday in New Orleans in 1875.

(Source: Mardigrasneworleans.com)

Here are some fun facts and trivia about Mardi Gras:

Boeuf Gras Float

• More than 500,000 king cakes are sold each year between January 6 and Mardi Gras. These sugar-coated pastries contain a plastic baby doll inside.
• Hotel rooms are booked at 95% capacity during Carnival weekend the festival generates $840 million annually. 
• The Boeuf Gras float symbolizes the last meat eaten before Lent. 
• Mardi Gras is also known as "Pancake Day" in  England, Orland, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada.
• Masks are required by law for float riders. Masks were originally worn to escape class constraints.
• Throwing beads has been a tradition since the early 1900s. People also throw stuffed animals, toys, and more.
• On Mardi Gras, people let go of their inhibitions as a result of being drunk, and women often flash their breasts for Zulu coconuts and beads. However, this isn't considered a tradition by the locals.
• Flambeaux, or flame torch, was originally carried by slaves and free African Americans who wanted to earn extra money. In modern times, torch carriers dance and perform with the kerosene lights.

In addition to New Orleans, other areas along the Gulf Coast that celebrate Mardi Gras include Mobile, Alabama, Pensacola, Florida; Galveston, Texas, Lafayette, Louisiana; and Natchez, Mississippi, who all have early French colonial heritage.

I have been to New Orleans just once--for the fabulous Voodoo Festival just before Halloween--but I hope to make it to Mardi Gras someday. 

Now for today's lists:

Party Idea of the Day: We continue our Party Idea of the Day with more Oscar coverage. Why not set an actual red carpet in your home and make it a dress-up affair? Puncbowl.com shows you how. I like this wrap bodycon dress, courtesy of O So Chic. I also like the earrings, necklace, and handbag. The shoes are a bit too steep for me.  

Benedict Cumberbatch fans (also known as Cumberbitches), can't get enough of these leggings and matching shirt with his face, courtesy of Style News.

Oscar Fun Fact of the Day: What are the rules of eligibility for Oscar? A domestic movie must open the previous year (ending December 21) in Los Angeles County in order to qualify. The minimum running time is 40 minutes. Foreign films are excluded from these rules.

Black History Month Fun Fact of the Day: Poet Langston Hughes's father discouraged from writing and agreed to pay for college only if he studied engineering. They made a compromise: Hughes would study engineering, as long as he could attend Columbia. He left the university because of racial prejudice, his interests reflected more around the emerging Harlem neighborhood than his studies. 

Today's Birthdays: Sasha Pieterse (19), Meghan Martin (23), Ed Sheeran (24), Chord Overstreet (26), Daphne Oz (29), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (34), Jason Ritter (35), Bryan White (41), Jerry O'Connell (41), Billie Joe Armstrong (43), Denise Richards (44), Dominic Purcell (45), Tim Mahoney (45), Chante Moore (48), Larry the Cable Guy (52), Lou Diamond Phillips (53), Richard Karn (59), Rene Russo (61), Brenda Fricker (70), Christina Pickles (80), Johnny Bush (80), Dame Edna (81), Bobby Louis (82), and Hal Holbrook (90).  

Holidaze: In addition to Mardi Gras, today is National Random Acts of Kindness Day. Last week, Random Acts of Kindness week was celebrated by the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation. This day originated in New Zealand, where it is celebrated on September 1st. Remember, doing random acts of kindness is something that can be done every day of the year: you can volunteer your time for a good cause, beautify your area, encourage positive body image, be polite to everyone you meet, or just smile.

In the foodie category, it's National Cabbage Day. Popular vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts, are all descendants of cabbage. It is also the main ingredient found in coleslaw and sauerkraut. Those who celebrate St. Patrick's Day eat a traditional meal of corned beef and cabbage (that's another holiday for discussion). 

Tomorrow, we'll be discussing the Best Director category.

Have a PRINTASTIC day! Hope you're all staying dry and warm!

Kathy