Mardi Gras Le 12 février 2013

L’histoire de Mardi Gras Many Christians and Roman Catholics celebrate “Carême” which means lent. It lasted 40 days They had carnival season and the last day of carnival season is Mardi Gras or “Fat Tuesday” which was the last day to eat “forbidden foods” In 1800s Mardi Gras meant the end of drinking and eating desserts Fish and eggs replaced meat Colorful clothing was replaced by dark gloomy clothes Even marriages didn’t take place during Mardi Gras

What do you think of when you hear Mardi Gras? Les défilés

Gâteau de Roi

Les défilés niçois Another type of parade is les batailles des fleurs. They are like the Rose Bowl where all the chars, or floats, are made of flowers. The Niçois make paper flowers to go on their floats.

batailles des fleurs. Une plage niçoise Une rue Niçois Les costumes des fleurs

Mardi Gras in New Orleans

La Nouvelle Orléans In New Orleans, Louisiana, parties for Mardi Gras start about 2 weeks before Mardi Gras actually starts.

La Nouvelle Orléans The people in New Orleans celebrate Mardi Gras by going to “défilés” (parades) and “bals masques” (costume parties)

La Nouvelle Orléans Thousands of people line up in the streets to see the “défilés” and to receive and throw beads. Many of these people wear “masques” (decorated, beaded masks) and some people paint their faces the colors of Mardi Gras.

La Nouvelle Orléans In New Orleans, jazz bands are on almost every street corner. During Mardi Gras, you can hardly hear their music because there are so many people lining the streets.

Mardi Gras Colors

Les couleurs purple violet justice

Les couleurs green vert faith

Les couleurs gold or power

King Cakes King Cakes are used in the celebration called Epiphany--Little Christmas, or the Twelfth Night Europeans hide a bean inside their king cakes, and the person receiving the bean must portray one of the kings Latin-American people put a small figure in their cake representing the Christ child. It is said that a year of good fortune awaits the person who receives the Christ child Louisianans like perpetuating the celebration by making the person who receives the figure bring another cake Starting the twelfth day after Christmas, king cake parties continue until the first day of lent, ending on Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras The New Orleans’ style king cake is brightly decorated with Mardi Gras colored sugars and pieces of fruit