Mardi Gras Facts 2021: Things To Know About How Christians Celebrate Fat Tuesday
02/16/21 AT 8:20 AM
Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, is here, and it s time to indulge in cultural celebrations and dig into the favorite foods and treats.
Fat Tuesday began as a Catholic tradition of revelry before the beginning of Lent, which is a 40-day-long fast when Christians give up some of the things they most enjoy.
Each year, this day is marked with parades and festivals in New Orleans. However, this year there will be no parades due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but people can celebrate the day with Mardi Gras house floats, special Mardi Gras cocktails in bars and restaurants and king cakes.
Why Do We Throw Beads at Mardi Gras?
Although for Mardi Gras 2021 the opportunity to catch beads will be few, if at all, we still have many things we can learn about our coveted tradition.
According to ehow.com, Mardi Gras started in Medieval Europe and eventually moved to New Orleans. In 1703, the small French-Canadian settlement of Fort Louis de la Mobile held its first Mardi Gras celebration.
The idea of float throws came about in the 1870s, started by the Twelfth Night Revelers in New Orleans. They were the first to start the tradition of throwing parade goers prizes.