Some have asked me why I would have a Mardi Gras Tea Party for little girls. Carnival and Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday are based on religious tenets; it is the last hurrah before the season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday. Like many holidays it is seen as an excuse to over indulge and to sin by a large number of people. Carnival is related to the Christmas season. It begins with the Epiphany which falls on January 6, or 12 days after Christmas. This day is the day the Three Kings delivered their gifts to the Christ child. The word Carnival refers to the ordinary time in the Christian Calendar, the ordering of time outside the Advent/Christmas or Lent/Easter seasons. Carnival comes from the Latin words carne vale, meaning "farewell to the flesh." The removal is not a prohibition during that time, but a time to remove it by consuming all the meat, eggs and dairy in the household before the beginning of Lent, the weeks of fasting and prayer leading up to Easter. Epiphany is also traditionally when celebrants serve King's Cake, a custom that began in France in the 12th century. Legend has it that the cakes were made in a circle to represent the circular routes that the Wise Men took to find Jesus, in order to confuse King Herod and foil his plans of killing the Christ Child. In the early days, a coin or bean was hidden inside the cake, and whoever found the item was said to have good luck in the coming year. Many bakers now put a small baby, representing the Christ Child, in the cake; the recipient is then expected to host the next King Cake party. Now the cakes are served throughout Carnival. They are most often iced or colored with the colors of Mardi Gras: purple, a symbol of justice; green, representing faith; and gold, to signify power. Mardi Gras literally means "Fat Tuesday" in French. The name comes from the tradition of slaughtering and feasting upon a fattened calf on the last day of Carnival. The day is also known as Shrove Tuesday (from "to shrive," or hear confessions), Pancake Tuesday and fetter Dienstag. The custom of making pancakes comes from the need to use up fat, eggs and dairy before the fasting and abstinence of Lent begins. So yes, we will celebrate Mardi Gras with a tea party. We will talk about the Christian roots for Carnival and Mardi Gras. We will wear masks; purple, green, and gold feathers; and beads. We will feast on King Cake and Beignets. We will party as we do at all the tea parties. The debauchery associated with Mardi Gras in New Orleans and other parts of the United States will not be part of our celebration. But we will have fun! |
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