It Matters to You
Throwing Your Own Carnival Party
From the colorful Mardi Gras beads in New Orleans, to the lavish masquerades in Venice, Italy, to the elaborate parades in Nice, France, it seems that every culture has its own take on pre-Lenten celebrations. Whether it is called Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras or Carnival, what they all have in common is an emphasis on fun. In fact, with a name derived from the words “farewell to the flesh,” it is all about indulging a little before entering a 40-day stint of meatless Fridays.
Some say it began with an ancient Greek celebration honoring Dionysus, the god of wine, others credit the Roman solstice festival Saturnalia with the idea. The Roman Catholic Church later modified the celebrations into a festival leading up to Ash Wednesday, which quickly evolved into a wild celebration of pleasure before the fasting of Lent.
French Instructor Veronique Walters recalls what it was like to attend the festive street parades of Carnival in France during her childhood years.
“In France when I was growing up, it was the Halloween for the kids,” she says. “We would just go into the street to watch parades and the kids would wear costumes.”
With Lent just around the corner, Walters suggests the essential C’s for hosting your own Carnival celebration in the French fashion:
• Costumes
Common characters include Pierrot, a lunar character with a single tear drawn beneath his eye; Arlequie, a sunny character with a costume of colorful patchwork; and Polichinelle, a cynical character with a black hat and an ugly hooked nose.
• Crepes
Although Fat Tuesday tends to be the most notorious day of Carnival, the festival actually begins with the feast of Epiphany, a day devoted to the making and eating of crepes, often topped with sugar, chocolate or jam.
• Confetti
While it might be difficult to put together a parade of floats for a party, some of that excitement can be brought home with a little confetti to bring back those memories of kids running around trying to catch the tiny bits of paper twirling in the air.
Walters remembers Carnival as a big celebration to put aside the normal routine and take part in fun, joy and liberty.
“Under the disguise of a costume nobody knows who you are,” she says, “so you can eat what you want, sing, dance and be whoever you want to be.”
So mark your calendar for this year’s Mardi Gras on Feb. 5, celebrate life’s simple pleasures, and let out one last hurrah!
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