Mardi Gras is a wild and wonderful celebration of extravagance with participants around the world. One of the most famous celebrations happens in New Orleans, and the colorful beads thrown from floats are often the highlight of this celebration.
Although the Mardi Gras celebration has been in New Orleans since 1837, the tradition of throwing beads didn’t exist until the 1920s. This was when the Rex parade began throwing inexpensive, handmade glass bead necklaces into the crowds. From this simple act the tradition was born.
Traditional Mardi Gras colors are purple, green and gold, with each color holding a special meaning. The purple means justice, the green exemplifies faith and the gold represents power. With the changing times and growing popularity of this holiday, Mardi Gras beads now come in every color imaginable.
You can get ready for the celebration with this fun earring and bracelet set. With a bright palette and fun charms, you’ll be the life of the party when you wear the perfect accessories. Learn how to make Mardi Gras Earrings and a Mardi Gras Bracelet you will be proud to show off with our free instructions available in the Learning Center.
Want to win your own collection of Mardi Gras jewelry supplies? Enter our one-day Mardi Gras contest for your chance to win! Since Mardi Gras is all about excessiveness and lavish celebration, our prize package includes rich sterling silver and gold vermeil charms, as well as some limited edition bead strands. All of these components are presented in a beautiful purple organza bag, tied off with green and gold satin ribbon. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment below telling us how to intend to celebrate Mardi Gras. Hurry! This contest will end tonight at 11:59PM PST. We will randomly choose one winner and announce the winner tomorrow.
This prize package is valued at approximately $50 and contest is open to US and Canada residents only excluding Quebec. One entry per person; must be 18 or older to enter. Odds of winning depend on number of entries. Void where prohibited by law. Winner will be contacted via e-mail. No purchase necessary.
-Marissa
Mardi Gras beads and pancakes 🙂
Going to make a king cake this afternoon and enjoy a little family time. It’s our 31st wedding anniversary today!
I’m celebrating by relaxing at home on my day off and eating some delicious chicken tacos for supper.
I’ll be going to a party with friends and family wearing the festive, large beaded, and colorful, necklace earrings and bracelets I’m making right now.
I will celebrate at home with my husband and son. A fun dinner with dessert!
Making a wonderful cajun spiced dinner with banana pudding for dessert.
Celebrating by not celebrating 🙂
Outfor a fat Tuesday dinner an dthen home to use my awesome new metal stamping supplies!!!!!!!!!!!
Although going to Mardi Gras in New Orleans would be awesome, I will have to settle for a quiet evening at home, maybe catching some live coverage on TV all while creating some jewelry pieces with my Artbeads!!!
I Loved New Orleans!!!! I was there in 79, I had so much fun.It is a time i will never forget Burbon St oh what fun. I would love to go back i am sure it is not the same as then but i would still love to go back.
making beaded rings:)
going to hang out with my DH : )
Quiet night at home
had planned on making several pieces of jewelry tonight, one for a church benefit and a purple one (funny how you should mention purple!) for me. but after getting 2 cortisone shots in my left shoulder, i have to sit tonight and tomorrow out. guess it will be designing time for me.
I will celebrate by beading with bright, beautiful colors!
Avoiding long lines at the bakery and making my own malasadas at home!!
Pancakes and sausage with real maple syrup for supper, then wine and dancing tonight!
Pancakes at home with plenty of butter, bacon, and syrup. Nom nom nom!
beading for sure
Working on several beading projects and hope to finish one.
First want to say Happy Fat Greek Day!! or Happy Mardi Gras 🙂 Plan to have a glass of baileys *Cheers* and find me a restraunt that serves fine Greek food here in Hawaii..
Laissez les Bon temps roler mes Amis!! I am spending my Mardi Gras string beads and listening to my hubby on trumpet and my son on the upright bass playing out some jazz. Joyeax Mardi Gras!
I will be spending time with my family.
having King Cake with the family
Spending it with my family. 🙂
I just got out my Venetian-made mask! 🙂
Playing Zydeco music in the background, simmering some jambalaya on the stove & preparing to make dirty rice; picking up a King Cake later & plan to meet my sweetie after work decked out in Mardi Gras beads & feather mask. He’s new to Mardi Gras celebrations so I’m doing my best to bring him up to speed..!
I have never celebrated before, But would love too 🙂 Suppose I will spend it with my family tonight and watch Movies while I’m wearing my Beads 🙂
Staying home, having a glass of wine and designing new pieces!
I love Mardi Gras, I think it is an awsome event! The colors and the costumes are spectacular. I would love to be ther ein person in New Orlenas someday but for now I go to local places and celebrate 🙂
would love to be in New orleans but spending it at home
wewll listen to jazz n make sum beads n feather masks
I will be dancing in the street!!!! I would soooooooo love to win this prize!! Thank you so much for the chance!!
Stay home & be with family….& Beading.
Creating designs for the Mardi Gras prize I hope to win today!!! =)
I love the colors of Mardi Gras and the glitz and glamour!
Quiet evening at home, watching something good on TV and beading!
By going out to lunch with my mom.
SPENDING IT AT HOME WITH MY KIDS. BUT OVER THE WEEKEND WE WENT TO A MARDI GRAS PARADE HERE IN OUR HOME TOWN.
Although I would love to be in New Orleans for Mardi Gras, I will be spending a quiet evening at home cooking up some Cajun food and beading.
Happily at home!
I’m celebrating by wearing cute bead jewelry & cooking dinner so we can watch a family movie in the livingroom…
Since it’s my bowling night, guess I will be celebrating there. Thanks for the reminder…need to find my Mardi Gras beads to wear!
Taking it easy this year no parades. Movie with my husband then a nice quite dinner. Les Bon ton roule!!
At home with the family 🙂
I will be celebrating Mardi Gras with a night of beading jewelry to some hip tunes 🙂
Great food & drinks:) Family:) ~& Beads:)
Even Tho I am from La. I have never been to Mardi Gras there sad to say but every yr my son and I have a family BBQ with all the goodies from cooking to the GREAT beads and thats how we will do it again this yr.
I too, will be beading – my newest obsession!!!
I will be spending a quiet evening at home with a special young man.