"MARDI GRAS refers to events of the Carnival celebrations, beginning on or after Epiphany and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday.
Mardi gras is French for Fat Tuesday, referring to the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season, which begins on Ash Wednesday; in English the day is sometimes referred to as Shrove Tuesday, from the word shrive, meaning "confess."
Related popular practices are associated with celebrations before the fasting and religious obligations associated with the penitential season of Lent. Popular practices include wearing masks and costumes, overturning social conventions, dancing, sports competitions, parades, etc. "
I believe Mardi Gras is the secular celebration of a Christian holiday; I'm not sure if it is primarily Catholic or not. It is big down in New Orleans, of course, where they have some interesting traditions referring to giving away beads... but I'm not going to get into all that.
Here in Iselin, it might not be as big of a Holiday, but hey - any excuse! In my family, we call Mardi Gras "Fat Tuesday." We have pancakes for dinner. That's about the extent of it. C'mon, it's a Tuesday, right? How crazy can it get? But... if you celebrate... Today is the day! Enjoy today, because Lent starts tomorrow.
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