Mardi Gras - Fat Tuesday

Today is Fat Tuesday also known as Mardi Gras. It is a day of food and excess. A day to celebrate before the Catholic tradition of Lent begins.

What *is* Mardi Gras and why celebrate it?

Mardi Gras is the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday is the start of Lenten season, where traditionally people are asked to give up something for 40 days. Mardi Gras is basically French for Fat Tuesday – the big party before the fasting and deprivation begins.

King Cake? What is that?

King cake is a round raised dough cake, much like a coffee cake. It’s covered with frosting, and the traditional Fat Tuesday colors of purple (justice), green (faith) and gold (power) sugar. Each cake contains a small plastic baby. Whoever gets the baby in their slice of cake gets to either buy the next cake and/or host the next Mardi Gras Party.

 King Cakes are a vibrant part of the Mardi Gras tradition in New Orleans. It represents the gifts born by the three kings (or wise men in the christian faith) to the Christ child.


Today I started my morning in the office with a kings cake. I will have lunch with some of my dearest friends today at the Thirsty Lion Pub where I am promised beads of Gold and Purple and Green. We will also share another Kings cake, just the 4 of us.

I don't celebrate Lenten. The notion of giving up something I love like coffee or chocolate or bread, well...thats simply doesn't appeal to me. What does appeal to me is the opportunity to celebrate and have a party with jewel colored beads and loud music and delightful food and drink.

So I was thinking, are there other celebrations that we participate in that we don't necessarily embrace to history and rules of? I cant think of any.  But we certainly  don't pass up the opportunity to celebrate any holiday that allows us to indulge excessively in the company of Friends.