Mardi Gras History

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The History Behind Mardi Gras Beads New Products Hide a plastic baby inside your King Cake, and whoever receives the baby in their piece of cake must buy the next King Cake, and throw the next party! King Cake Babies If you're tired of the same, boring 80s-theme parties, why not throw a mysterious, elegant masked ball? When your guests arrive, simply give them these masks at the door. Voila! Masks & StickmasksWhile Mardi Gras means many things to many people, one item that is incorporated into almost every Mardi Gras celebration is beads of every size, shape, and color. But how did this tradition come to be? And more importantly what do those beads stand for? The bead phenomena is a relatively new one considering that while the first…show more content…
In recent years Frisbees, plastic cups, and even doubloons all marked with the specific parade Krewes name and logo have been thrown to thousands of Mardi Gras goers. Though one of the more unique and sought-after throws, among Mardi Gras aficionados, is distributed by the Zulu Aid & Pleasure club, which distributes hand-painted coconuts. In recent years the Zulus have needed to pass out the coconuts in bags, rather than throwing them due to safety concerns as they weigh about 11 lbs.…show more content…
And it is not uncommon for members of parade Krewes to spend an average of $800-$2,000 per parade ride on the beads that they will toss over the course of their parade route. Also, Krewes must submit their bead orders in September to ensure that they will be ready for Carnival season early the next year. In recent years the distribution of beads has been equated to rowdy behavior. This has mainly involved men demanding that women show certain parts of their bodies to earn their beads. Many long-time Mardi Gras attendees will point out that this mainly happens in the French Quarter and not along the actual parade route, where the fun and true purpose of Mardi Gras continues to prosper. ------------------------------------------------- Beads are getting longer and bigger. The most popular size today is about 33″ long and is ½” in diameter. ------------------------------------------------- Bright colorful glass beads have become a staple of Mardi Gras events in New Orleans, and the "tossing of the beads" has become a strong tradition over the years, and part of the Mardi Gras charm that attracts millions of revelers every year. But how exactly did this tradition get started? And what is the significance of throwing colorful bead necklaces during Mardi Gras? The answers to these questions may surprise

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