Food, masks, and partying make up Mardi Gras, and it’s a fantastic way to start lent. Lent is the forty days of prayer and fasting before Easter, thus Mardi gras is the final hurrah before the time of calm. Brazil also has a type of Mardi Gras, called the Brazil Carnival, which goes from Friday to Wednesday with parades, half-naked women, and a whole lot of colors. I may not do the thing with the Mardi Gras beads, but the night here is still eventful. If you don’t know about the beads, then I suggest you look it up yourself, my mother reads these articles, I gotta keep it clean.

The Tuesday before Ash Wednesday is a day to pig out, act a little wild, and have fun. Some people go overboard, but personally, I just like the way my family handles the day. On this day, dinner is a large feast with various foods, one of which being etouffee. There’s also a variety of alcoholic beverages or Martinelli's sparkling cider for the nondrinkers. For dessert rum cake and/or ice cream is served. Thus, the binge begins in prep for fasting.

Masks are another part of Mardi Gras, allowing people to hide their identities, create elaborate works of art, and celebrate the old tradition. At our house, my sister and I try to see who can create the most detailed masks with the materials we have. We try to stick to the traditional colors as well, using, purple, gold, and green. The masks end up being rather tall, with feathers, flowers, and glitter, creating a ridiculous mess. However, the end result is worth it, especially if you win.

The last Mardi Gras tradition my family has is playing games. My mom’s favorite is Pandemic, which is the game where all the players are against the game, trying to save the planet from five different viruses. Some of us in the family are not too fond of the game since we have more of a competitive streak, but will play anyway, as long as our mom plays our favorite games with us later. Other favorite games are Catch Phrase, Pictionary, and Banagrams (which is like Scrabble, but without the board).

Mardi Gras is a time for family and friends to be together and have fun. We often spend this time with close friends as well as family to share the moment, try new foods, find new competition and learn different games. There is also the aspect of bizarre conversation and ideas of what to give up for lent. One such idea up giving up homework for lent, which never really goes over well and never actually happens, but it’s a nice thought. In the end, the day closes with full stomachs, bright smiles, and light hearts.