By Lori Bledsoe
The Alpine Sun
Mardi Gras is the celebraton of the last day before the Christian season of Lent. Mardi Gras actually means Fat Tuesday in French, and has become the day to endulge in all the foods that will not be consumed during Lent. It became a legal holiday in Louisiana in 1875, and is most heartily celebrated in New Orleans as ‘Carnival’.
By Lori Bledsoe
The Alpine Sun
Mardi Gras is the celebraton of the last day before the Christian season of Lent. Mardi Gras actually means Fat Tuesday in French, and has become the day to endulge in all the foods that will not be consumed during Lent. It became a legal holiday in Louisiana in 1875, and is most heartily celebrated in New Orleans as ‘Carnival’.
Some of the traditions of the holiday include wearing colorful ornate masks that allow the wearer to be whomever they please, escaping their true identity so they can truly enjoy the festivities without the constraints of their social standing.
There is also a Flambeaux Tradition. People carry torches to light the way of the floats and merry makers. This particular tradition would probably best be fulfilled in Alpine with electric lights rather than open flame.
The throwing of beads also marks the holiday with glittering strands of purple gold and green beads that are tossed to attendees of the event and worn with pride. The more the merrier. The idea behind the tossing of the beads is to actually give the color of the beads to the person who most exhibits the meaning of the color. Purple for justice, gold for power, and green for faith.
Every year, a kind is crowned, and he is named Rex, the king of the Carnival. Rumor has it that the first king was crowned in 1872 and was the Grand Duke Alexis of Russia. There is actually a ‘Rex Orginizaton’ that chooses a new King of Carnival every year.
Alpine’s Mardi Gras is organized by the Alpine Education Foundation. The proceeds are used for the benefit of the Alpine Schools.
