Why do we celebrate Mardi Gras?
103369
Thank you for taking the time to remove your repeated postings. \nFor the person above me why are you upset? you got 2 points for your answer?\n\nThe History of Mardi Gras\n\nMardi Gras came to New Orleans through its French heritage in 1699. Early explorers celebrated this French Holiday on the banks of the Mississippi River. Throughout the years, Orleanians have added to the celebration by establishing krewes (organizations) which host parades and balls. Carnival quickly became an exciting holiday for both children and adults.\n\nMardi Gras means "Fat Tuesday" and of course is celebrated on that day of the week. The date can fall between February 3 and March 9 depending on the Lunar calendar, used by the Catholic Church to determine the date of Easter. Mardi Gras is always 47 days before Easter Sunday.\n\nThe official colors for Mardi Gras are purple, green, and gold. These colors were chosen in 1872 by the King of Carnival, Rex. He chose these colors to stand for the following:\n\n    * Purple represents justice\n    * green stands for faith\n    * gold stands for power\n\nThe Mardi Gras season begins on January 6 and continues until Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday. On the Christian calendar, the twelfth day after Christmas is known as "Epiphany", "Twelfth Night", or "Kings Day." It is the day the gift-bearing Magi visited the baby Jesus, and is celebrated with its own unique rituals.
1126801
I'm not sure but it may be 'Celebrate The Day'.
123851
New Orleans' Mardi Gras revelers will spend today downing Hurricanes, gawking at naked flesh, and begging paraders for colored beads with the traditional plea, "Throw me something, mister!" How did the bead-throwing custom begin?\n\nThe first recorded instances of Mardi Gras paraders tossing souvenirs to the crowd date back to the 1840s, when revelers costumed as aristocrats threw out baubles and sugar-coated almonds. Other, less savory characters preferred "trick" to "treat" and pelted onlookers with an assortment of dirt, flour, and quicklime. The dissemination of handouts—or "throws," in Mardi Gras parlance—is widely believed to have derived from festival customs in Renaissance Europe, where pre-Lenten carnivals often involved projectiles (hurled about after villagewide ale-and-mead binges). Some historians theorize that the tradition has roots in a pagan post-winter ritual, during which lucky peasants who'd survived the cold months celebrated by throwing milled grain into the fields—an offering of gratitude to the deity (or deities) who had given them enough food to last.\n\nGlass beads did not become a New Orleans Mardi Gras staple until the 1880s, after Anglo-American "krewes" had formed to organize the loose-knit festivities. Legend has it that the first parade participant to use beads was a man dressed up as Santa Claus; the ornamental strands were such a hit that other krewes picked up on the ritual. By 1900, when at least 100,000 tourists a year flocked to the Crescent City for Mardi Gras, beaded throws were ubiquitous.\n\nContinue Article\nwhy you fly national\n\nToday's plastic-or-aluminum beads have earned substantial notoriety for their role in a sexual bartering system; women often bare their breasts for a strand or two. (And sometimes go the Full Monty for a particularly enticing throw.) Despite claims that this custom dates back decades, a 1996 paper in the academic journal Social Forces could trace the beads-for-nudity movement only back to the 1970s.\n\nBonus Explainer: A krewe known as "Zulu" has become famous for handing out (not throwing) Mardi Gras coconuts in lieu of beads. The practice ceased briefly in the 1980s, owing to liability concerns—no insurance company would cover Zulu, fearing that an errant coconut might dent a merrymaker's skull. Zulu leaders appealed to the Louisiana state legislature, pointing out that beads and other Mardi Gras trinkets were exempted from liability laws. In 1987, then-Governor Edwin Edwards signed the "Coconut Bills," adding Zulu's heavy, oblong handouts to the list.
145735
The three our teen group found most successful were a pancake breakfast, a spaghetti dinner, and a chili cook-off.\n\nWe got the most money at our Mardi Gras Party, but it required some planning ahead.  We invited several bands from the area to participate in a contest, with the winners getting a part of the money we raised.  The bands paid for the chance to participate.\n\nWe also did real well on the craft show, but again, that took some advance planning.\n\nHope you can get some ideas from this.
154652
I would guess that it is because it was not properly commercialized. Don't worry I will explain. It doesn't cost much to celebrate. When I was a kid we would get some dixie cups and pipecleaners and make those into basket. We would then put a few candies and flowers in there and take it to our friends and neighbors house. Set it by their front door then run away. It's way too cheap nobody profits. So it was not promoted and was forgotten about.
219453
b/c nobody REALLY celebrates St Patricks day...everybody just use it as an excuse to drink - a lot. They really couldn't care less about St Patrick or the history of the day.  If you go out and ask people on the street what the day is about...i bet very very few ppl would even come close to having a clue.
187410
No we don't, we dont dye our rivers green or drink green beer, we dont sit down to a feast of cabbage and corned beef, or go around pinching someone who isnt wearing green. These are all American customs. In Ireland, the older folks go to mass, the rest of us celebrate with the Patrick's day festival, which lasts for 5 days. On the day itself, we go to the parade, then hit the pub and dance the night away. Check out www.stpatricksday.ie and see all that went on over the week.
1143972
Usually the question you ask implies you know the answer you want to hear. I can't give you the racist view.  We celebrate American history with every national holiday.  The purpose of ethnic history months is to introduce us to different cultures, it isn't meant to be devisive.    The United States of American is a amalgam of many cultures.
101462
Because my entire family is Christian and it's a time for all of us (inclduing my grandparents, aunts, uncles, my cousins too) to get together.  They celebrate the remembrance of Christ's birth and I celebrate being with them.
165013
If you mean Mardi Gras, it is a festival before the day of fasting for Catholics, and celebrated in North and South America
250446
Mardi Gras might have been smaller overall (8 days of parades instead of 11), but it was the best one yet.  I've lived in New Orleans for the past 11 years - 3 of those on the parade route.  On the second weekend of parades, the crowds were huge!  Just as big as before.  The parades were more exciting and the atmosphere was the most upbeat ever.\n\nI think that mardi gras was a huge success and a good way to help the recovery and rebuilding process
45094
As far as American Independence Day, I think that most of us connect to the importance of the day more significantly than other American historical holidays (President's Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day).  Our traditional fireworks are to many of us a reminder of what our ancestors endured to bring all of us the freedoms we now enjoy.
270861
Dancing is generally an expression of celebration obviously,but then it was also done for;\n\n-asking for rain,guidance...or anything from the ancestors\n-thanking them for providing\n-some funeral rituals\nyou know that kind of thing. The belief was that the ancestors would talk to God on behalf of the people...
114962
I think it's different for everyone.  The bitter's like to complain about it.  I like to take it as a special day to say or do everything I may have forgotten to during the rest of the year.  It's a day to really dedicate to only one person.  It's fun.
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It is actually the custom to REMEMBER the dead on Memorial Day.  For some, the deaths may still be recent enough that they are still in mourning.  It is a more somber occasion for them.\n\nFor others, the mourning has passed, and we prefer to "celebrate" the life that has passed on.  Memorial Day  weekend has long been seen as the unofficial start of the summer, due to the fact that the pools open, kids get out of school within these two weeks for summer vacation, etc.  It is quite natural to celebrate those lives then, by having barbeque's etc.
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Other than th usual ones we celebrate annually.\nHappy divorce (sort of a contradiction in terms isn't it?)\nSome people now go through a divorce ceremony.
122605
I don't care what happens in New Orleans... there will ALWAYS be a Mardi Gras!!