· By Jason Katz
Celebrate Fat Tuesday with Popcorn!
Mardi Gras, otherwise known as Fat Tuesday, is right around the corner! The celebration is often associated with New Orleans, green, purple, and gold beads, and small plastic babies in cakes, but what is Mardi Gras really, and how can you celebrate it at home?
Fat Tuesday is a celebration which begins on or after the Christian feasts of Three Kings Day and culminating before Ash Wednesday. The term Fat Tuesday comes from France and signifies the last day of eating fatty, rich foods before the ritual of fasting for Lent. Now, this celebration has become cultural, especially in New Orleans where thousands travel every year to take part in the festivities.
In New Orleans, celebrations are concentrated for about two weeks before Mardi Gras. There are usually parades almost every day leading up to Fat Tuesday. On Mardi Gras, people dress up in costumes and masks and don beads of the traditional Mardi Gras colors: purple, green and gold. People also traditionally eat King Cake, which has a small plastic paper hidden somewhere inside. Whoever finds the baby is said to have luck and prosperity, and in some traditions, the finder is designated โkingโ or โqueenโ for the day.
Beyond New Orleans, similar celebrations and festivals are held on Fat Tuesday. The main point of the celebration, and the part that most people embrace with gusto, is feasting! From king cake, to gumbo, to cookies and popcorn, enjoying food is a major staple of Mardi Gras.
Canโt make it to New Orleans, but still want to take part in the feasting festivities? Celebrate Mardi Gras by buying Popcorn for the Peopleโs mouth watering gourmet popcorn! We have Cookies n Cream, Butter, Caramel, Chicago Baked Cheddar and more flavors to fulfill your every Fat Tuesday cravings!
