Mardi Gras Traditions As settlers from Europe travelled to the new world by the thousands, traditions and customs came with them and became ingrained in the culture and history of a new country. One custom in particular flourished in the southern reaches of the burgeoning country, Mardi Gras. As far back as the early 18th century, Catholic European settlers were celebrating the same holidays that they had observed in their native countries. In 1699, a French explorer arrived at the Mississippi River not far from where present day New Orleans exists. In honor of the celebration that he knew was taking place in France on that very day, he named the spot Point du Mardi Gras. As more settlers arrived from France, the customs that they had practiced there slowly began to take shape into what we now know as Mardi Gras. As popular as Mardi Gras has become in the United States, most people only know half of the Mardi Gras tradition. While many know that the celebration is related to Lent, what many do not know is that it is also related to Christmas. Carnival, as the actual season is known, begins on the same date every year. Only the actual date of Mardi Gras changes. This date to kick of the Carnival season is January 6. The date is also referred to as 12th night. It is the twelfth day of Christmas, the Epiphany and celebrates the day that the three wise men found and worshipped the baby Jesus. In communities where Carnival is observed, Epiphany marks the beginning of the season and the last day is always the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, Mardi Gras day. The word Carnival is taken from the Latin and is literally translated as "farewell to the flesh". The Carnival season is time of merriment and brief season of feasting before the somber time of Lent. Some experiments have reasoned that the custom actually began as a way to use any meat, eggs and milk before Lent began so that no items were left to waste during the forty day long fasting period. The traditional Mardi Gras King cake is thought to have been derived from this need to use up perishable items. Today, Carnival and Mardi Gras are celebrated in many different fashions. Some only celebrate on the actual Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, while others take full advantage of the time and attend many luncheons, masked balls and parades. Parades are generally the highlight for the majority of those who observe Mardi Gras and though Mobile and New Orleans have the biggest and oldest celebrations, many other communities all along the Gulf Coast are forming their own societies. With so many different celebrations, it should be easy for anyone who desires to attend a parade, to find one they are comfortable attending. The communities of Orange Beach and Fairhope have recently began holding parades and these are the perfect size to attend for someone who doesn't enjoy large crowds and wants to avoid any of the hard partying that can be seen in the larger cities along the Gulf Coast.
Written by Robbie Tanner. Courtesy of Articlesbase.com