Mardi Gras ~ A Year of Homeschooled Holidays

Since today is Palm Sunday, and it is a mere six days until our next holiday party, I figured I'd better post about March's holiday! >.>

Last year we observed St. Patrick's Day. We made hats, decorated cupcakes, had fun themed food and fellowship, and watched a video about St. Patrick.



This year we decided to celebrate Mardi Gras. While people often associate it with wild partying where "anything goes", it is meant to be so much more. In fact, it is meant to be the last hurrah of the ordinary as we seek to infuse ourselves with the extraordinary. It is a preparation and confession, a ridding ourselves of the last of the flesh before we enter into the season of Lent, a time of contemplation and anticipation.

So we threw a party! :) We learned about Mardi Gras and Lent, and ate delicious foods. My friend S made the best minestrone soup I've ever had plus some buttery, rich toasted parmesan bread.



I made a King Cake for dessert, though I was worried about baking plastic or a coin so I used a caramel instead. ;)



We also made Mardi Gras masks, put on our beads and danced!