How Are Texans Celebrating Fat Tuesday – with King Cake or Alligator?

Today is Fat Tuesday, also known as Mardi Gras, a fun festive day celebrated the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday (which marks the close of the pre-Lenten season). Fat Tuesday translates in French to "Mardi Gras" and there are so many traditions, including beads, masks, King Cake, and alligator??? It is true many celebrate with the main dish being alligator. Sorry I will have to take a hard pass on this one!

But there are plenty of Mardi Gras traditions I am in for, like KING CAKE. King Cake is a wreath shaped cake made like a Danish pastry. Flavor varies but most common is cinnamon, decorated with frosting and the traditional gold, green and purple sugar sprinkles. Gold stands for power, green represents faith and purple represents justice. Overall, the cake symbolizes the unity of faiths. It also comes with a tiny plastic baby hidden inside which brings good luck to the person who finds it. If you do find the baby, you are to host the next King Cake Party.  Bonus, you are viewed as the belle of the ball.

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Mardi Gras celebrations include parades, music, and BEADS ... lots of beads! Some say the tradition of tossing beads began in the 1970s of women flashing their breasts for beads, which makes sense considering the hippie era. But the practice of throwing beads at Mardi Gras actually was inspired by Renaissance festivals that took place before Lent, where revelers would toss things into the air in celebration of the coming fast. However you celebrate Fat Tuesday, do it with flair and lots of fun!