Have A Fun Family Friendly Mardi Gras With These 5 Ideas

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Take everything you know about Mardi Gras and throw it out the window. Gabby from MamaGab explains how they have a family friendly Mardi Gras.

Maybe I’m naive, but I think Mardi Gras can be whatever you make it out to be.

All those obscene things you’ve heard about Mardi Gras? They’re completely true and completely false.

My family is from South Louisiana, the heart of Cajun Country. In fact, my dad’s first language was Cajun French! I grew up in Texas, so we often went home to Louisiana to visit family at Mardi Gras.

For us, Mardi Gras was simply a time to see family. We would visit family and then hit the parades. It was like a family picnic day, almost like waiting for a parade on the Fourth of July.

My grandmother would pass out grocery sacks from Winn-Dixie and we would stand there as a family, waiting for the parade to arrive. Once the parade came, we would shout “Throw me somethin’ Mister!” the standard celebration yell, and then we would await our cache. We loaded our necks up with beads and when we couldn’t hold anymore, we filled up the grocery sacks with beads, cups, and doubloons.

And that was it.

Now if you go into certain areas of New Orleans at Mardi Gras, you’ll find something else entirely. Because of all of that, I understand why many folks would rather not celebrate at all. But my perspective is that the Irish have their St. Patrick’s Day and Cajuns have their Mardi Gras.

family friendly mardi gras

The Origins of Mardi Gras

Would you believe there’s a Christian element to Mardi Gras? The very words mean Fat Tuesday. Ash Wednesday is the day immediately following Mardi Gras, and it’s a time when many Christians, but Catholics especially, will choose one thing to fast for during Lent. And if you’re going to have a fast, then it makes sense to have a feast first, right? And that’s where Mardi Gras comes in.

Mardi Gras, also known as Fat Tuesday, is a carnival celebration that takes place on the day before the Christian season of Lent begins. The origins of Mardi Gras can be traced back to medieval Europe, where people would celebrate the last days of winter by feasting and indulging in various activities before the Lenten period of fasting and penance.

When French explorers arrived in the New World and established settlements in what is now modern-day Louisiana, they brought the tradition of Mardi Gras with them. The first Mardi Gras celebration in Louisiana is believed to have taken place in 1699 when French explorers held a small festival on the banks of the Mississippi River.

Over time, Mardi Gras became a popular celebration in Louisiana, with elaborate parades, masked balls, and other festivities taking place in cities such as New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama. The celebration of Mardi Gras in New Orleans is particularly famous for its extravagant floats, colorful costumes, and lively music.

Today, Mardi Gras has become a major cultural event in Louisiana and other parts of the United States, drawing visitors from around the world to experience unique traditions and festivities. While Mardi Gras is often associated with excess and indulgence, it also holds deeper spiritual significance as a time of reflection and preparation for the Lenten season.

If you want to celebrate Mardi Gras, here are a few ways that you can do that in a family-friendly way.

5 Ways to Have A Family Friendly Mardi Gras

1. Go to family-friendly parades

More and more cities around the country are starting their own traditions. Since these are far from New Orleans, you can be pretty certain that the parades will be clean and family-friendly. If you go to a parade in South Louisiana, simply inquire for family-friendly parades.

Some parades even have a specific area for families where no alcohol is permitted. We also find that day parades are a lot cleaner than night parades.

Be sure to ask the locals! My husband grew up going to Mardi Gras around New Orleans and he never saw a lot of the things that you hear about because his parents knew where they could bring their kids.

Pack lunches and make a day of it! My kids especially enjoy going to the pet parades. Beads may not be thrown, but it’s adorable to see the cute pet costumes that people come up with.

2. Make your own parade

Don’t have a local parade near you? Make your own! Your kids can cover shoe boxes in the standard Mardi Gras colors of purple, gold, and green and have your own little parade. Or instead of Mardi Gras colors, have your children decorate shoe boxes to mimic books that they have recently read.

We are doing this as part of our homeschool day. I’ll let my daughter make either Charlotte’s Web shoe box float or an Alice in Wonderland-themed float since we just read these together. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with.

We also like to have a dance party for the kids. My husband finds Mardi Gras music on Youtube and lets our little ones dance their sweet little heads off. We’ll even get out a toy drum or a Cajun triangle to let them learn rhythm.

3. Try out a Cajun recipe!

If you’re stuck outside of Louisiana for Fat Tuesday, then celebrate in your own way. Find a recipe for authentic gumbo, jambalaya, or red beans and rice. Who knows? It might become a new family favorite.

Here is a recipe that might pass for authentic gumbo:

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 3 celery stalks, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 pound andouille sausage, sliced
  • 1 pound chicken thighs, cut into chunks
  • 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Cooked rice for serving

Instructions:

  1. In a large Dutch oven or stockpot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the flour and stir continuously until the mixture turns a dark brown color, about 15-20 minutes. Be careful not to burn the roux.
  2. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic to the pot and stir to combine. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until the vegetables, are softened.
  3. Add the andouille sausage and chicken to the pot and cook for 10-12 minutes, until the chicken is browned on all sides.
  4. Add the Cajun seasoning, bay leaves, and chicken broth to the pot and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1-2 hours, until the gumbo has thickened and the flavors have melded together.
  5. Add the shrimp to the pot and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and cooked through.
  6. Remove the bay leaves from the pot and season the gumbo with salt and pepper to taste.
  7. Serve the gumbo over cooked rice.

Note: This recipe can be adjusted to suit your taste preferences. For example, you can use different types of meat or seafood, or add additional vegetables or spices.

Your best bet is to go to New Orleans and get some there.

4. Make a King Cake

King Cakes are a staple here in South Louisiana. These are either a cinnamon-roll-like cake or a doughnutty type of cake, but regardless of the type, you’ll find a baby tucked somewhere into the cake.

This symbolizes the kings who followed a star to find the Christ child. If you want to make your own version of a king cake, I’ve got a fabulous recipe that you can try. It’s our favorite.

5. Celebrate Lent

Choose something as a family to give up for the entire 40 days of Lent. If you choose to give up sugar, caffeine, your weekly pizza night, or television, then use the money saved to donate to your favorite charity.

Learn about the connection between fasting and prayer so that you can carry out your fast in a way that brings you closer to God. For example, you can use your usual morning coffee time to have deeper prayer time. Every time you long for caffeine, ask the Lord to help you long for Christ that way too.

Whatever it is you choose to give up, you can celebrate by indulging in it on Mardi Gras. Feasting and fasting is what Fat Tuesday is really all about.

Have you ever celebrated Mardi Gras? What’s your favorite way to celebrate?

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2 Comments

  1. I grew up outside Mobile and really miss Mardi Gras now that I’m in South Florida. Lucky for me, my priest is from NOLA and he brought the tradition with him to our church. We just had a big procession last Sunday (because he’ll be in NOLA next weekend) and we’ve had a jambalaya dinner. We will have a big Fat Tuesday/ Shrove Tuesday dinner too. I love that we can make Mardi Gras a family event, even if we aren’t in the area anymore.

    I just made my first king cake and it turned out all right. I’m going to have to try your recipe next! We always order one from Haydel’s too! Awesome tips! You made me miss Mardi Gras even more!

    1. Thanks, Hannah! We’ve been away from the Gulf Coast for the past 15 years, so this is our first year to be back in South Louisiana. We are LOVING all the parades! Anyway, I completely feel your pain. We had to make our own Mardi Gras fun during all those years we lived away.

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