One of the most well known holidays in the world is Mardi Gras. It is a countrywide celebration in many parts of the world and has a long history. In the United States, Mardi Gras is not a national holiday and is not celebrated in every town, though several such as St. Louis, Pensacola, and San Diego have large Mardi Gras celebrations. In the United States, the focus on the holiday is mostly found in New Orleans and is a popular vacation spot for many people.
History
The carnival aspect of Mardi Gras can be traced to the Romans who had a celebration called Lupercalia. Mardi Gras reached the shores of America in 1699 from a French expedition. The American Mardi Gras began with many of the same aspects that are found in the modern Mardi Gras, such as masks and parades.
Significance
Fat Tuesday is what Mardi Gras means. It is a somewhat literal meaning of the holiday as Fat Tuesday is always the Tuesday before Lent, a 40-day religious holiday in which adherents are expected to follow a strict set of rules. Mardi Gras is the celebration and carnival before Lent. Mardi Gras is known for its gluttony of alcohol, food and parades, a fattening of the person's body and spirit before he begins the penance of Lent.
Geography
New Orleans is where the French landed to explore America and has become the center of Mardi Gras in the United States. Thousands of people travel to New Orleans each year to be a part of the Mardi Gras festivities.
Identification
Deemed illegal from time to time, masks are a part of almost every Mardi around the world. They are also predominant in the New Orleans celebration of Mardi Gras as well as parades, beads and costumes. Often, these items are designed in the New Orleans colors of Mardi Gras, which are gold, purple and green.
Considerations
Mardi Gras is always the day before Ash Wednesday, the final day of Carnival, and 46 days before Easter. While this never changes, the actual date in which Mardi Gras is held changes from year to year. As tens of thousands of people come to celebrate Mardi Gras, hotels book up quickly, so make your travel plans well in advance.
Tags: Mardi Gras, United States, before Lent, Gras celebration, Mardi Gras celebration