Music, parades, floats, beads, picnics, King Cakes… Mardi Gras season is here!
My first introduction to Mardi Gras was when I was teaching 2nd grade in Euless, Texas. One of my students brought in a King Cake to share and the class was all a buzz over who would get the slice of cake with the little baby in it. Sounded a little disturbing, but apparently this popular tradition and Mardi Gras go hand in hand. Whoever gets the piece of cake with the baby inside has the honor of hosting the next King Cake party.
That was just a sneak peek into Mardi Gras. My brother happened to marry a Louisiana gal. Each Mardi Gras season we get a goodie box in the mail full of colorful beads (purple stands for justice; gold for power; and green for faith), masks, pralines (pronounced praw-leens by Louisiana folks), and a special limited edition package of Community Coffee’s Carnivale Cake. Yum. I look forward to that coffee every year!
It’s always fun to introduce my kids to other traditions around the world. Hopefully one of these years we’ll make it down to New Orleans for the festivities. But, until then, we can celebrate Mardi Gras here in the Midwest. Here are a few examples of Mardi Gras inspired centerpieces that would be great at your party.
*Disclaimer: No one was flashed to collect the beads found in this post. LoL!
*Click on links above pictures to see the picture source and project information.
DIY Mardi Gras Centerpiece with lots of character and color
