It’s Fat Tuesday

It's Fat Tuesday! Or if you speak french it's called Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras is the french for for Fat Tuesday. Or in some cultures it means Shrove Tuesday, shrove meaning to confess.

Mardi Gras is not just a time to party, it actually has very deep meaning. Mardi Gras is the last celebration before confession and fasting begins for Lent. In some cultures, Mardi Gras could begin as early as a week before Fat Tuesday. Fat Tuesday is the final day of the celebration. It's one last hoorah before you have to give it all up for Lent. It's the "feast before the fast."

In the midst of all the masks parades and parties you will find a common decor theme, and that is purple, green, and gold. Why, you ask? Purple represents justice, green represents faith, and gold represents power. These colors were established in 1872.

The first parade was held in 1872 and a group invented a King of the Carnival to reside over the parade that celebrated the visiting,  Russian Grand Duke Alexis Romanoff. Purple green and gold were his family colors.

You can't leave out the best part of the feast, the King Cake. King Cake represents the wise men bringing gifts to baby Jesus. Inside the cake a tiny baby is placed and if you get the baby, you must provide the cake the next year!