Mardi Gras

Today is the day that people gorge themselves on fat, junky food because they will be giving it up for lent tomorrow. It is Mardi Gras, which is also known as Fat Tuesday. This holiday is always the day before Ash Wednesday, which is the start of lent. For people who celebrate lent, that is where they give up something for 40 days (or until Easter). 

This tradition started a long time ago, although the first Mardi Gras parade wasn't until the 1800's. This holiday is celebrated in many places around the globe. Brazil, Venice, and New Orleans are some of the biggest celebration area's.

Lets learn some fun facts about Mardi Gras:

- More than 500,000 king cakes are sold each year in New Orleans between January 6 and Fat Tuesday, and another 50,000 are shipped out-of-state via overnight courier. 

- The sugar-coated pastries include a tiny plastic baby doll inside; the person who finds it is declared "king" and must buy the next cake or give the next party. 

- An economic impact study released by the University of New Orleans estimates that Mardi Gras generates over $840 million annually. 

 - The largest of about one dozen Mardi Gras supply houses in New Orleans sold 41 million pairs of beads for Carnival, 1991. 

- The super parades of Endymion and Bacchus, scheduled for the Saturday and Sunday before Fat Tuesday, feature a combined total of 75 floats, 60 marching bands and more than 250 units. Their 2,300 members toss more than 1.5 million cups, 2.5 million doubloons and 200,000 gross of beads. 

So don't get a stomach ache today!

Erin 
   Reeses & Blossom