Chase Away the Winter with Good Times for Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras is part of the yearly celebrations when you live in Louisiana. Once the ball drops into the new year, we give ourselves a few days' rest until Twelfth Night. By January 6th, our holiday decor will evolve into purple, gold, and green, kicking off the first parades of Mardi Gras. As we love to say,” Laissez les bons temps rouler!” or Let the good times roll! …at least until Ash Wednesday.

Mardi Gras is steeped in traditions across the Gulf Coast. Originating in the United States at the turn of the 18th Century, the French explorers Pierre Le Moyne d’Iberville and Sieur de Bienville brought their traditions to the mouth of the Mississippi River. Giving us a time of excess and a time of repentance. One of the marvelous aspects of Mardi Gras is that it embraces the past and present. The colorful decor and festivities are always themed with touches of history, laughable satire, and all-around good fun. Traditionally, it is a time of indulgence, eating, drinking, and playing too much! 

To experience Mardi Gras, you must truly live it—celebrations in various parades for kids, pets, and adults. In the Carnival weeks leading up to Fat Tuesday are society balls, concerts, parties, and more. If you wander outside the cities into the Parishes, you can chase the chickens at the Courir de Mardi Gras celebrations or fill up on boudin, community gumbo, and homemade king cake. Come Mardi Gras night, the party stops when the clock strikes midnight. It is the only time you will see Boubon Street quiet and empty. This tradition rings in the Lenten season of fasting until Easter Sunday. Mardi Gras in Louisiana is truly a one-of-a-kind experience. 

One of the best aspects of Mardi Gras is the idea that this time of year does not have to be dull. It offers a new opportunity to keep your spaces fresh and fun! It might be cold outside, but adding colorful planters with evergreen topiaries and festive lights to your entryway or garden will brighten the winter mood.

The Origami Planter by Campania International comes in a set of three sizes for a range of decorating options. The festive lemon yellow glaze brings the sunshine inside with a fun pop of color!

The Faccia Fountain always add a bit of dramatic flare both inside and outside! Stained in your choice of color, this fountain comes with pebbles, but for fun swap them for some large Mardi Gras Beads and add to your parties conversations! 

Throwing a party in winter means no one wants to be outside, but you can bring the garden's mood inside with a tabletop fountain or a planter with a colorful arrangement of indoor foliage. Keep the positive vibes in your home by bringing a bit of the outside inside. Add the decadence of a King Cake party and you will hardly feel the cold days of winter slip away into spring.