Mardi Gras
Today is a day of celebration, delicious food and parades.
Today is a day of celebration, delicious food and parades.
Renee Harleston
Reviewer URLNames: Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras, Carnival, Shrove Tuesday
Pronunciations: Mar-dee Grah, Car-na-VAHL, Sh-rhov Tuesday
Today is a day of celebration, delicious food and parades.
Origin
Like many Christian holidays, Mardi Gras may have pagan origins. Roman festivals, like Lupercalia and Saturnalia, occurred from December to February.
Throughout the medieval period, the Roman Catholic church celebrated a variety of feast days, including Shrove Tuesday, named for the act of "shriving" or confessing sins. The popularity of these pre-Easter medieval feast days waned, but some of their traditions (most notably the consumption of rich food) show up in the modern celebration of Mardi Gras.
Legend holds that the first Mardi Gras on United States soil occurred in 1699. French explorers landed in the body of water now known as the Gulf of Mexico and celebrated the festival. Mobile, Alabama lays claim to the first official Mardi Gras in 1703. When the Spanish took control in 1762, they cracked down on Mardi Gras festivities. When the United States took control of the land in 1803, the country banned masked balls and public disguises. The first New Orleans Mardi Gras street parade took place in 1837.
New Orleans is now most closely associated with Mardi Gras in the U.S. The city dedicates up to three months to the feast. Around the world, similarly lavish celebrations are held in Nice, France, Venice, Italy and Rio de Janeiro.
When it is observed
Mardi Gras occurs 47 days before Easter. Mardi Gras was the last day to eat rich food before the season (a season of abstinence and fasting) began. It is always on a Tuesday.
Mardi Gras is the feast day before Ash Wednesday, which marks the start of Lent. The date of Easter changes every year but always occurs on a Sunday. Easter usually falls between March 22nd and April 25th.
Who observes this holiday
As a religious holiday, Mardi Gras is observed by most mainstream Christian denominations. It is particularly popular with Roman Catholics.
As a secular festival, Mardi Gras is celebrated across the world in major tourism destinations. In the U.S., New Orleans is best known for its Mardi Gras festivities. World-famous Carnival festivities take place in the West Indies, Caribbean and throughout Central and South America. The San Miguel Carnival in El Salvador, Trinidad and Tobago Carnival and Rio de Janeiro Carnival are especially famous celebrations.
Cities across the U.S. have their own Mardi Gras traditions. Those with large Polish communities—including Chicago, Detroit and Baltimore—celebrate Paczki Day, which calls for eating paczkis, a filled Polish donut.
Traditions
Costumes are a major part of Mardi Gras. Carnival celebrations across Latin America and the Caribbean feature large, opulent feathered costumes. In New Orleans, krewes (social clubs) put together magnificent costumes and parade floats. The masks worn by those participating in Venice Carnival are known worldwide.
Indulgent food is also central to Mardi Gras. Each culture seems to have its own donut for the day. Polish paczkis, French beignets, Portuguese masaladas and German fastnachts are all eaten on Fat Tuesday. In New Orleans, King Cake is a popular Mardi Gras treat.
What to say
Mardi Gras is not associated with any particular phrase of greeting. But "Happy Mardi Gras" is a fine greeting for anyone.
Where regional celebrations are more prominent, a different greeting may be more accurate. For example, in Chicago, "Happy Paczki Day" may be more recognizable. Similarly, in the U.K. "Happy Pancake Day" may be appropriate.