The Skinny on Fat Tuesday

It's Mardi Gras, ya'll!

But what exactly is Fat Tuesday? The question was bugging me. I know I'm always whipping up some New Orleans-esque fare on this day, just so's I can feel like I's at Mardi Gras. (that's my poor imitation of Cajun-speak.) Oh, and Mardi Gras is on my bucket list.

So I did a little surfing. Mardi Gras literally means Fat Tuesday in French. It's rooted in the Christian faith, ironically enough. Can't imagine what exposing ones, ahem- boobs- has to do with Christianity, but let's roll with it, or Laissez les bons temps rouler, if you know what I mean. Oh, those Cajuns know how to party!

Fat Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday [40 days before Easter], which is the beginning of Lent in the Catholic faith. What Lent meant to me growing up was "we will be eating fish every Friday until Easter Sunday", thanks to my Mother who was raised in the Catholic faith. The purpose of this relates to fasting for spiritual discipline, not necessary that you MUST eat fish (as I believed until I was much older) but rather you abstain from eating meat on Friday, as was mandated by the 1966 Apostolic Constitution of Pope Paul VI, Paenitemini. Oh, rules, rules, rules. This is one of the many reasons I believe in non-denominational Christianity.

In essence, Lent is the period of the liturgical year [pertaining to public worship] leading up to Easter. Lent is a time of sacrifice for Jesus. The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer, through prayer, penitence, almsgiving and self-denial for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus.

So what does this have to do with Mardi Gras? It essentially boils down to one thing- party hard the day before Ash Wednesday, so that you will have time for reflection, and seek forgiveness for all the sinning you manage to do in for one whole day. Eat, drink and be merry. And flash your boobs if you are so moved.