Mardi Gras Traditions Explained

Happy Fat Tuesday, everyone!

The last hurrah before Lent and a day of debauchery in New Orleans.

From the beads to the king cake, there are many traditions tied to the day. If you've ever wondered why we do the things we do on Mardi Gras, read on.

Iconic Colors

Green, gold and purple will be worn by many today. You'll find masks, boas and floats donning the three colors, but why were those selected?

In 1872, the colors were adopted by the Krewe of Rex, the organization that assembles the parade and celebrations. A few years later, in 1892, the colors were given their meaning.

Green: faith

Gold: power

Purple: justice

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Mardi Gras Beads

"Throw me something, mister." That's the common phrase if you want beads at Mardi Gras. Granted, many females find other ways of getting beads, but we're sticking with the more tame version – and for the record, flashing can get you arrested at Mardi Gras.

The tradition of throwing beads dates back to the 1870s and each year about 25 million pounds of beads are thrown in New Orleans. Twenty-five million.

Thousands of spectators scream and wave to get attention of the bead throwers. If you ever find yourself in New Orleans on Fat Tuesday and beads fall on the pavement, don't pick them up!

It's considered to be bad luck if you pick beads up off the ground.

Wearing Masks

Masquerade balls are a long-standing tradition in New Orleans, beginning as a way for people to mix and mingle while escaping class constraints.

Masks hold a special significance for many, symbolizing protection, freedom and celebration.

Masked balls and celebrations were popular in Louisiana during French rule and now, many masquerade events take place around Mardi Gras.

In fact, New Orleans' Mardi Gras is the largest masked party in North America, attended by roughly 1.5 million people each year.

Finding the Baby in a King Cake

The ring-shaped pastry is a tradition for many Mardi Gras celebrations. It begins with the host providing the king cake for the group. Inside is a small baby figurine.

As pieces are passed out, the guest who receives the slice with the baby inside is considered to be the king (or queen) of the day. Luck and prosperity is said to be on the way for this person.

Aside from having a year of good fortune, you're also responsible for providing the king cake for the following year.