Mardi Gras is a  holiday celebrated by many French-speaking countries and is news-making event in New Orleans. The  French Honor Society celebrated Mardi Gras a day late during Wednesday’s club day.

Traditionally Mardi Gras  is the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the Catholic religious time period, Lent.  Historically, people would binge eat all of their favorite foods before giving up fat and/or fasting  for Lent.  In French,  Mardi Gras means “Fat Tuesday.”  Mardi Gras is 46 days before Easter Sunday. Since Easter is not on the same day each year, Mardi Gras isn’t either.

One celebratory tradition is  the King Cake. This cake has a little plastic doll, which is used to represent the baby Jesus, hidden within in it.  The French honor society hid a plastic spider instead. The doll, or spider in this case, means that the person who finds it will have good luck all year (and they are supposed to bring the cake for next year to continue the celebration).

An old tradition is the throwing of the beads and doubloons. Today each student in the honor society received beads from the officers. Mardi Gras’ main colors are purple, green, and gold. Each of these colors have a different meaning. Purple represents justice; green represents faith; and gold is power.