Who’s excited for Mardi Gras?!
There’s a lot of fun associated with the holiday! We’ve got the big celebrations that take place over in New Orleans, for one. But even those who don’t travel to the southern city can join in on the spirit by whipping up some Mardi Gras themed food and festive desserts. Some people even deck their entire homes in purple, green, and gold, for crying out loud! Yeah, Mardi Gras is a pretty big deal depending on who you talk to, but how much do you know about holiday?
Like some other national celebrations, Mardi Gras goes by a couple of different names. You may have heard the term Fat Tuesday thrown around, and probably wondered how the two names correlate. Well, simply put: Mardi Gras means Fat Tuesday in French. (“Mardi” is the French word for Tuesday and “gras” means fat.)
Plus, there’s more about the holiday that you’ll want to know. Read on for everything you should know about Fat Tuesday, including how people celebrate, its origins, and some other fun facts.
What is Fat Tuesday?
There’s a long history on the holiday and why it’s celebrated, but here’s a brief synopsis.
It’s important to know that for centuries, Fat Tuesday consistently took place on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday (so, basically right before Lent). This is also where the name stems from! As those who celebrate know, Lent traditionally sees a 40-day fasting period. (Nowadays, those who observe Lent may give something up for those 40 days.) During the holiday’s origin, however, Christians would use Fat Tuesday to consume all of the beef, bread, and any other foods in their homes that they would not be able to eat during the 40-day fasting period.
What happens on Fat Tuesday in New Orleans?
Fat Tuesday is more than just “the day before the fast” at this point! Tons of places throughout the U.S. celebrate, but we really have to give props to New Orleans, Louisiana for the way the city has taken the holiday under its wing. Now, technically speaking, the southern city begins its Mardi Gras celebrations way before Fat Tuesday. In fact, in 2024, festivities officially began on January 6, and will continue until Fat Tuesday (which is on Tuesday, February 13).
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Celebrations consist of city-wide parades, concerts, and a bunch of other musical and food-themed events. Fat Tuesday marks the last day of these festivities, which makes for one big hoorah in New Orleans.
What do you eat on Fat Tuesday?
Uh, pretty much anything and everything! Whether one chooses to fast for Lent or not is up to the individual—but those who do may feel inclined to eat the foods that they will not be able to eat during the 40-day period. So, with that said, people may choose to eat beef, bread, and consume sweets and also alcohol on Fat Tuesday. However, if we’re talking staple recipes, we have to include king cake, po’ boys, jambalaya, and all that good stuff!
Will Dickey
Additionally, you may have also heard the name Pancake Tuesday (also known as Shrove Tuesday). Pancake Tuesday, which takes place on the same day as Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras), originated in Ireland in the 17th century. It essentially holds the same purpose—initially seeing the Irish people make pancakes with eggs and milk (basically using up their dairy products before Lent). Eating pancakes on this day has since become a tradition to many!
Josiah is the Digital Content Producer for the commerce team at Popular Mechanics, Best Products, Runner’s World, and Bicycling Magazine. He also writes for “BIO Buys”—a column on Biography.com—giving readers the lowdown on what products their favorite celebs are using. In another life, Josiah was an editor at ThePioneerWoman.com, where he sharpened his expertise on all things lifestyle, food-news, and entertainment. Outside work related matters, he’s a fan of Studio Ghibli films, unimportant reality TV drama, and melancholy Lorde songs.