Tomorrow is Mardi Gras and you are sober, boring right? Wrong. While many of us hear “Mardi Gras” and instantly imagine parades, lots of alcohol, and New Orleans, there are many other things associated with this holiday. Mardi Gras holds many religious, cultural, historical, and culinary aspects that help make the holiday what it is.
A Quick Definition of Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras means Fat Tuesday in French and is celebrated the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday which is the beginning of Lent which is observed by Christians. Lent is a 40-day fasting season that is supposed to replicate Jesus’ time in the wilderness enduring Satan’s temptation. The Tuesday before Ash Wednesday is seen as a time to indulge in things that will not be enjoyed throughout the next 40 days. Typically people give up meat, sweets, and other indulgences. Some people believe that this became tradition after the Catholic Church incorporated some of the pagan traditions into their own celebrations for easier assimilation. While Mardi Gras technically only refers to this Tuesday, the Mardi Gras Season or Carnival actually begins on January 6th or another Christian holiday called, Epiphany or Three Kings Day. These holidays are celebrated all over the world with cultural traditions to go along with them. One thing that seems to be common between them is celebrating with a “King Cake” or some pastry or bread with a plastic baby inside it. In New Orleans, thousands of King Cakes are consumed during the Carnival Season. The King Cake is typically made from a cinnamon filled dough in a hollow circle covered in icing and purple, green, and gold colored sugar to represent justice, faith, and power according to the Rex of 1892, the King of the Carnival. Traditionally the cake is also baked with a small plastic baby inside, whoever gets the baby in their piece of cake has to buy the next King Cake, throw the next party, or get to be the King/Queen of the party, depending on how you want to celebrate. New Orleans has a large French influence it is said that the French settlers had their first Mardi Gras here in 1699. Masks are a part of tradition and help add to the mystique and fun of the event, they can cover just the eyes or the entire face and don’t forget the costumes!Another popular and well-known tradition from Mardi Gras is the throwing of beads and other prizes. In New Orleans people on the floats or in the parades will throw beads, doubloons, trinkets, and toys in replica of Rex starting to do so in 1884. Every year a new Rex is chosen to be the King of the Carnival and is given the proverbial key to the city. Another prized catch is the Zulu coconuts. These are given out by the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club ever since 1910. And of course, what would any party in New Orleans be without Jazz music and creole and Cajun cuisines.
Celebrate a Sober Mardi Gras
Now that you have all the facts and information about this famous holiday, it is time to celebrate. Get your friends and family together for a night of sober fun. Everyone will enjoy the bold flavors gumbo and jambalaya while listening to the smooth melodies of saxophones, pianos, and trumpets in Jazz music. You can buy masks for people to wear or have them bring their own and hand out colorful beads as they arrive. You can even make your own version of a Zulu coconut to give out to someone at the party or as a prize for winning a game. You can find many simple recipes for “King Cakes” online or find one at a local bakery and whoever finds the baby can be the Rex of the party. You can even give out a prize for the best costume. All of these options will be fun for children too. You can find decorations in the traditional Mardi Gras colors or make your own theme. There are different, creative games you can have guests play. You can even download Arthur Hardy’s Mardi Gras Guide, an award-winning magazine that has sold over 3 million copies, as an app on your phone. Every year it is published with updates, news, history, and more. In New Orleans, Mardi Gras is celebrated with family members, young and old, and friends. The infamous stigmas of drinking and flashing for beads are frowned upon by multi-generational New Orleanian families. Most people remember going to these events as children with their parents and grandparents, and it remains a tradition in their families. Mardi Gras is a celebration of the people and for the people. The Rex krewe motto is, “Pro Bono Publico” or “for the public good,” and continues to define the organization’s commitment to service. The prestigious krewes of Mardi Gras offer community service and other aids throughout their communities all year long. The famous parades are known as the “the greatest free show on Earth.” It is a time for all people of the community to come together without status and celebrate the bountiful luxuries available together.
A Deeper Meaning for Mardi Gras
Instead of looking at Mardi Gras as just a time for partying. Look deeper into the holiday and use the real reason and traditions to strengthen your sobriety and supportive relationships. Inviting your family and friends to join you for a night of culture and sober fun will help strengthen those relationships and even begin a new tradition. Take notice of all the things in your life that you can and should be grateful for, any luxuries or abundances. Remember that your sobriety allows you the chance to have these relationships and luxuries and allows you to live a long healthy life. Most importantly, remember that you can still have fun and celebrate holidays sober.
Get Help with Addiction During Mardi Gras
If you have encountered difficulties during the time surrounding Mardi Gras and have possibly relapsed, please contact us for help. Our admissions team can help review your insurance benefits and assit you in receiving the best possible treatment. Please call 1-888-986-7848 or contact us here.
