Break out the beads, grab some gumbo and let the good times roll–Mardi Gras is just two days away.
Even if you aren’t planning to travel to New Orleans, Rio or another major metropolis that goes all out to celebrate Fat Tuesday, you can still have fun before Lent begins.
If you are entertaining little ones, then you’ll want your pre-Ash Wednesday party to be filled with family-friendly activities. Here are some simple ideas to jump-start your Mardi Gras festivities:
Beads: You can’t celebrate Fat Tuesday without a bunch of brightly-colored plastic beads. Give your kids several strands to wear, then let them decorate the house with the leftovers. You can hang beads from lamps, chairs and door knobs, or scatter strands on tables and countertops. If you have impetuous kids, you could have them earn their beads; not by flashing you, but by doing good deeds throughout the day. The child with the most strands at dinner could be rewarded with extra dessert or a later bedtime.
Masks: Elaborate costumes and masks are among the other traditions related to Mardi Gras madness. However, instead of forking over cash to buy masks for your family’s Fat Tuesday shindig, exercise your creative muscle and make some cool accessories at home. You can cut-out mask shapes from thick paper plates or cardboard, then embellish with feathers, glitter, sequins, paint, markers or crayons. If you are making masks with very young children, then use a simple piece of construction paper, decorate it and attach a piece of ribbon or elastic so they can wear it around their face without it slipping off.
Games: Get the party started with some fun and frivolity. Fill a Mardi Gras pinata with beads, noisemakers, and other trinkets, then let the kids smack the stuffing out of it. Another way to keep children entertained is to host a cookie decorating contest. After all, Fat Tuesday is all about indulging. Offer prizes for the most colorful, craziest, or kookiest cookie.
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