Mardi Gras is “Fat Tuesday.” On the traditional Christian calendar, Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent, a time where many people will prepare for Easter by observing 40 days of fasting or other forms of self-denial. The last day before Lent became a day of feasting, celebration, and one last chance at indulgence, hence “Fat Tuesday.” In many places in the world, Mardi Gras has grown beyond a one day feast into an extended season of celebrations and massive parties. New Orleans has a world-famous Mardi Gras, while in Brazil, “Carnival” is even bigger and wilder. In fact, for many, Mardi Gras and Carnival are synonymous with hedonistic debauchery that is in stark contrast to the penitent sacrifice of Lent.
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