Mardi Gras, and all the fun a good ol’ lively French-fest can bring with it, is right around the corner.  Mardi Gras hits the calendar a bit early this year, February the 21st, so you have just a little over 2 weeks to begin planning for your big Mardi Gras party or even a super sexy as well as mysterious masquerade ball.  Whether your trip to the Big Easy is real or just done in big Louisiana party style, we have all the hot supplies to make you look as if you are ready to go hit Bourbon Street and “laissez les bons temps rouler” (let the good times roll!)

What is Mardi Gras all about anyway?  For you Mardi Gras rookies that want to know why you should celebrate, as well as what the fuss is all about, here’s a basic crash course.  Mardi Gras, literally translated from French to English, means Fat Tuesday.  Fat Tuesday is a traditional day of feasting (can you say eat, drink and be merry?) that is done the night before Ash Wednesday, beginning the traditional Catholic period of Lent.  Lent is 40 days of fasting that occurs up until Easter.  French settlers that centered in the New Orleans area first brought this tradition to America.  The tradition of Mardi Gras runs deep in Louisiana until this very day.

The Big Easy:  Because of Mardi Gras’ early history associated with this southern region of our beloved country, the celebration of Mardi Gras has been heavily associated with and truly embraced by the people of New Orleans.  Just because you don’t live in New Orleans, however, it doesn’t mean that you can’t get into the spirit and the true Louisiana flavor of this exciting and flamboyant holiday! 

Masks and Masquerade:  Masks have been worn for years as part of the celebration of Mardi Gras.  Venetian style masks and many other creative, elaborate as well as decorative masks are part of the fun and tradition surrounding Mardi Gras.  Hiding ones identity has gone along with the celebratory theme of this holiday for hundreds of years, and there is some logic to the anonymity factor involved.  If no one knows who you actually are, traditionally, it’s been easier to really let loose and let your Cajun swagger truly get its groove on without worrying about tomorrow.

Tradition of Throws:  Since the late 1800’s, some of the authentic Mardi Gras tradition is to have many parades and floats as part of the celebrating that goes on in the city. Float riders are known to throw out many items to Mardi Gras revelers which include plastic beads, doubloons, cups and small stuffed animals.  Even if you aren’t planning a parade or float as part of your Mardi Gras festivities, you are still going to want to include some of these unique and traditional items as part of your Fat Tuesday celebration.

Party, Wild French Style:  If you are planning a Mardi Gras themed party, make sure you have all the sexy glittery costumes, elaborate masks, face paint, crazy hats, sparkling gloves and other ‘out there’ accessories that you may need to create a Fat Tuesday look that will be absolutely unforgettable.  Whether you are looking to be a Carnival King or Queen or even that wacky or sexy Court Jester, our costumes and accessories made just for your Mardi Gras celebration will definitely put the ooooo back into your la-la.  To Mardi Gras say OUI!

Wow there is so much going on in the month of February; Valentine’s Day, Mardi Gras, President’s Day and the one we just missed – Groundhog’s Day (although that would be a hard one as far as costumes are concerned).

However we all know that the biggest party holiday of the month is definitely Mardi Gras!  There are celebrations, parades, costumes, decorations and parties, parties and more parties all over the country, but none bigger then in New Orleans.  How cool would it be to hang out at the French Quarter and Bourbon Street during some of the crazy festivities.  The Mardi Gras Carnival season actually started back on January 6th, but the grand finale is Mardi Gras Day (also known as Fat Tuesday) on February 16th.  

If you can’t make it to New Orleans this year then bring Bourbon Street to you!  HalloweenExpress.com has everything you’ll need  from wonderful Mardi Gras costumes and elegant sequin masks to those infamous Mardi Gras beads and boas to make your party one for the record books!

Don’t let this February 16th pass you by without throwing your own Fat Tuesday party!

Now onto Mardi Gras, February 24th!  Talk about a party atmosphere in New Orleans!  Wow that is one city I would love to visit during Mardi Gras.  I’ve been there before and have done the whole Bourbon Street thing, but would love to see the parades and parties and the craziness associated with Fat Tuesday! 

If you can’t make it to the biggest party in the world in New Orleans, then by all means bring the madness of Mardi Gras to you!  Throw a Mardi Gras theme party right in your own back yard.   Decorate in the Mardi Gras colors so well known throughout the country of purple, green and gold.  Balloons, tablecloths, beads, hats, masks and noisemakers all in these colors will make your partygoers feel as if they’re in the French Quarter.  Don’t forget the music!  It can’t be a Mardi Gras party without the music!  It’s not one type of music but various sounds played together that make it unique to Carnival in New Orleans.  Rhythm and blues, jazz and brass/funk get people up and dancing.  Whip up some great Cajun cuisines like Jambalaya, Gumbo or Crawfish Boil.      

However, the ultimate Mardi Gras party, rest assured, is in the costumes!  The King’s Jesters can be found running around everywhere.  Masks and costumes made of sequins, metallic and lots and lots of feathers.  Around the necks of your partygoers will be feathered boas and multicolored beads.  Dressing up in the Mardi Gras theme is so much fun!  

HalloweenExpress.com has everything you’ll need for all your Mardi Gras party needs!  From Mardi Gras masks and jester hats to feathered boas and Mardi Gras beads. 

Unlike adults, children love the snow – the more the better!  More snow means no school and that in itself is a min vacation for them.  My teen-aged nephew, Taylor (being the little entrepreneur he is) probably loves snow more than anyone I know.  Last week he put this big snow plow on the front of his quad-runner with the anticipation of our first big snowfall.  They live right down the street so first thing this morning he drives down, picks up my son Caden and off they went to plow driveways.  Caden is the front walk snow shoveler.  While Taylor is plowing the driveways, he shovels the walk ways.  Then at the end of the day, they split the money they make so it’s a win win for everybody.  As Taylor always says, “Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow…”, but me I’m more the “Snow, snow go away…and don’t ever come back”!  I should probably move to Florida!

However, a great way to warm up your significant other this winter is by wearing a nice little number from HalloweenExpress.com this February 14th.  You’ll have no trouble finding love in a Valentine’s Day Cupid costume! 

And don’t forget Mardi Gras is February 24th followed by Read Across America with Dr. Seuss on March 2nd and last but certainly not least the biggest Irish party of the year, St Patrick’s Day on March 17th! 

Now, we’re on to bigger and better things for 2009!  HalloweenExpress.com will have more great costumes, assessories, makeup, decorations, props, etc… – I think you get the picture!  And with that in mind, don’t forget to check out all our great Valentine’s Day costumes,  President’s Day costumes and Mardi Gras costumes.  It’s never too early to find that one perfect costume for any holiday!  See you next year!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Mardi Gras – you can’t go wrong with this party theme and as they say, Mardi Gras in New Orleans is known as “the biggest party in the world”.  Decorations, music and costumes are all part of this theme.   You’ll have fun decorating with all the festive colors of Mardi Gras in royal purple, emerald green and shiny gold.  Instead of with the Hawaiian Luau theme of putting a lei around the neck of your guests as they arrive, with Mardi Gras you would greet your guests with a string of beads or even a really cool feather mask. 

Mexican Fiesta – the word fiesta means “a festive celebration” and that’s exactly what a graduation party should be.  You can greet your guest senoritas and senoras with colorful sombreros.  The colors of the Mexican flag of red, white and green are ideal when decorating for the party.  Christmas lights around your deck gives the party a festive ambiance.  Pick up some Mexican ponchos, maracas and of course a Mexican fiesta would not be complete with a pinata!   

You’ll find everything you need here at Halloween Express.  We have all your Mardi Gras and Mexican Fiesta party costumes, decorations and accessories that you’ll need to throw the graduation party of the year!  

Speaking of Presidents, check out the President Day costumes and masks online. President’s Day is February 18th.

• Valentine’s Day – February 14
• President’s Day – February 18
• St Patrick’s Day – March 17
• Easter – March 23

Along with those dates we have Groundhog Day on February 2, Mardis Gras on February 5, Ash Wednesday on February 6,  Palm Sunday on March 16, Good Friday on March 21 and one of my favorite dates – March 20, first official day of Spring!  To me that date can’t come fast enough!  It’s been a really cold winter this year and I’m so ready for some Spring weather. 

If you’re reading my blog you’re obviously on the Halloween Express website.  Take a minute to check it out – there’s something for everyone!  We have costumes and accessories for every holiday that’s coming up as well as school plays, dance recitals, theme party’s or if you just get the urge to put on a costume and have fun every once in a while.  We’ve got what you’re looking for! 

As we all know, the millions of colorful beaded necklaces thrown from floats are the most visible symbols and souvenirs of Mardi Gras.  People do outrageous things to catch the most throws. Some dress as priests hoping the many Catholics on the floats will shower them with goodies. Others dress their children in eye-catching costumes and seat them, holding baskets to catch the loot, on ladders that tower over the crowds. 

Here are some fun facts about Mardis Gras:

• Throws – Inexpensive trinkets including beaded necklaces and coins tossed from floats during the parades.
• Carnival Balls – Formal parties given by a krewe (private club) for its members and their guests.
• Parading with ladders – The ladder rule of thumb is, you place the ladder at least as many feet back from the curb as it is tall.

Other cities most famous for their Mardi Gras celebrations include Louisiana, Venice, Italy and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.