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What is Mardi Gras you ask? Mardi Gras is French for “fat Tuesday”. The name comes from the ancient custom of parading a fat ox through Paris on this day. The ox was to remind people that were not allowed to eat meat during Lent. Lent is the 40 days before Easter. Mardi Gras moves-- it can be anywhere between February 3rd and March 9th. The date depends on when Easter falls. (*Easter is always the Sunday after the first Full Moon of Spring)

Mardi Gras Customs In southern Italy, people dress up in costumes and put on an ancient play during Mardi Gras. In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, people dance in the streets. In Nice, French people wear giant masks in Mardi Gras. Clowns wear bunches of feathers on their heads and dance on the streets. They carry baskets of oranges which they throw to the watching crowds. In France, Mardi Gras customs are likely of the Paris variety. During the parades, everyone dresses up in costumes.

Where did it originate? Mardi Gras dates back thousands of years When Christianity arrived in Rome, religious leaders decided to incorporate these popular local traditions into the new faith, an easier task than abolishing them altogether. (make the Pagans happy).

Mardi Gras in America Many historians believe that the first American Mardi Gras took place on March 3, 1699 when French explorers Iberville and Bienville landed in what now is Louisiana. They held a small celebration and dubbed the spot Point du Mardi Gras. In the decades that followed New Orleans and other French settlements began marking the holiday famous.

Mardi Gras around the world Across the globe festivals continue to take place in many countries with significant Roman Catholic populations. In Canada, Quebec City hosts the giant Quebec Winter Carnival. In Italy, tourists flock to Venice’s Carnival, which dates back to the 13th century and is famous for its masquerade balls. Known as the Karneval, or Fasching, the German celebration includes parades, costume balls and a tradition that empowers woman to cut off men’s neckties. For Denmark’s Fastevlan, children dress up and gather candy in a similar manner to Halloween. In the western hemisphere the most famous celebrations are in New Orleans and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The date Mardi Gras occurs is different every year The date Mardi Gras occurs is different every year. It is tied to Easter and the Vernal Equinox (the angle of the sun and the earth). Easter must always occur the Sunday after the first full moon of Spring so you have to count back 6 weeks from then to find Mardi Gras.

Ash Wednesday. The day after Mardi Gras is called Ash Wednesday. It is the first day of Lent. Lent is the 6 weeks between Mardi Gras and Easter. During this time Christians are directed to think about Jesus’ sacrifice of his life on the cross and many “give up” something for Lent that they enjoy a lot- such as caffeine, cola, chocolate or anything that they enjoy and will miss-so it’s a sacrifice. On Ash Wednesday many Catholics go to Confession and are marked with the cross symbol created out of ashes.

Happy Mardi Gras!!