Carnival is a season, not a day. It begins on Twelfth Night, January 5th. (Yes, every year.)

There are 34 days until Fat Tuesday, or Mardi Gras 2016.

Here’s the link to the countdown clock: http://www.online-stopwatch.com/countdown/mardi-gras/

Now, to get the full benefit of this post, you must follow instructions. Click on the link and let Tab Benoit help you get your joie de vivre going. (In case you’ve not seen Tab before, trust me, he’s easy on the eyes. In fact, he’s the inspiration for Nick Trahan in Bayou Bound.)

Meet Tab Benoit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JV9Ea8Yq5h8  

Native Orleanian Fine Photography/Jerry Moran Images for Tab Benoit website. 

Here’s his website: http://www.tabbenoit.com/

Yes, in the Pelican state or Louisiana, Mardi Gras is a holiday celebrated with an enthusiasm that matches Christmas. When most of folks in the other 49 states in the U.S. are winding down and putting away holiday decorations, down in the bayou, Carnival is getting underway.

Mardi Gras is only one day. However, Carnival is THE season for celebration.

Do you know how to calculate the date of the day of last big “hoorah”?  Grab your Farmer’s Almanac. Find the date of first full moon AFTER the Spring Equinox, then count back 47 days. In 2016, it will be 2-9-16.

On Twelfth Night, there are parades and celebrations throughout the state. Parties include King Cake; a pastry decorated with Mardi Gras colors: green, purple and gold. Often there is a small plastic baby inside. Whoever gets the baby in their slice has to provide the next cake–usually next week. The homemade cakes I’ve tasted used a Mardi Gras doubloon instead of a plastic baby.

http://www.mardigrasday.com/party-store/doubloons/

Check out Christy Jordan’s site. She has a great step-by-step King Cake recipe I can’t wait to try. Maybe we need to have a King Cake bake off.  Anyone up for that?

http://www.southernplate.com/2011/02/super-easy-king-cake-wow-good.html

Now about Mardi Gras colors. I’m not sure if it’s true or not, but according to the Mardi Gras New Orleans site, the Krewe of Rex selected the official Mardi Gras colors in 1872 to honor the visiting Russian Grand Duke Romanoff, who suggested the colors. The 1892 Rex Parade theme “Symbolism of Colors” affirmed the colors’ meaning.

http://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/mgcolors.html

Purple is for Justice.

Green is for Faith.

Gold is for Power.

Post a question below that you have about Carnival or Mardi Gras. I’ll answer questions and pick a winner from those who post questions. The prize is an autographed copy of Bayou Bound. The winner will be announced in my newsletter, Letters from Linda, on February 2nd.

Don’t get my newsletter? Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/4y5Yj so you can find out if you’re a winner on February 2nd. 

Laissez les bons temps rouler

Let the Good Times Roll,

Linda Joyce