It's that time of the year -- Carnival season!! This year the superbowl coincides with the last weekend of Carnival so we'll celebrate both and discuss geocaching as well!
I'll provide the food -- Red Beans and Rice, Chicken and Sausage Gumbo for the Louisiana flavor and hotdogs with chili for those preferring superbowl type food.
Of course, we'll have King Cake too!
BYOB -- bring your own beverages whatever type you want to drink. I'll provide cups, ice, and ice chests to keep them cold.
For those of you concern with the game -- the party will be in the clubhouse of my apartment complex. There will be couches to lounge in and a 32 inch TV on which to watch the game.
For those of you more concerned with food -- there is a full kitchen in which to warm up food or keep things cold. BBQ pits are available in back to grill.
For those not interested in the game -- if the weather is nice, there is a sand volleyball court out back. Just bring a volleyball!
Time: 4:30 - 8:30 pm
You can log the event more than once if:
| You wear: | Purple, Green and Gold | or | Football team attire |
| You bring: | An indulgent dessert | or | Superbowl snacks |
| Take a picture wearing: | a Mardi Gras mask | or | a facemask (on a helmet of course!) |
History of Mardi Gras
Most people these days think of Mardi Gras as just a reason to drink a lot and do outrageous things but this is not really what Mardi Gras is all about.
Mardi Gras although very secular in nature now really has its beginnings in the Christian church. It is really a time of abandon and merriment that precedes the penance of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday.
(Think about it -- if you couldn't have parties, dances, drink alcohol, eat meat, drink coke, eat chocolate, etc for 40 days, what would you do the day before you had to "give it up". Of course --- eat, drink and party as much as you could!)
That's why the enormous party in New Orleans, for example, ends abruptly at midnight on Tuesday, with battalions of streetsweepers pushing the crowds out of the French Quarter towards home.
Carnival comes from the Latin words carne vale, meaning "farewell to the flesh." The Carnival season kicks off with the Epiphany, also known as Twelfth Night, Three Kings' Day and, in the Eastern churches, Theophany. Epiphany, which falls on January 6, 12 days after Christmas, celebrates the visit of the Wise Men bearing gifts for the infant Jesus. In cultures that celebrate Carnival, Epiphany kicks off a series of parties leading up to Mardi Gras.
Epiphany is also traditionally when celebrants serve King's Cake, a custom that began in France in the 12th century. In the early days, a coin or bean was hidden inside the cake, and whoever found the item was said to have good luck in the coming year. In Louisiana, bakers now put a small baby, representing the Christ Child, in the cake; the recipient is then expected to host the next King Cake party.
Mardi Gras literally means "Fat Tuesday" in French. The name comes from the tradition of slaughtering and feasting upon a fattened calf on the last day of Carnival. The day is also known as Shrove Tuesday (from "to shrive," or hear confessions), Pancake Tuesday and fetter Dienstag. The custom of making pancakes comes from the need to use up fat, eggs and dairy before the fasting and abstinence of Lent begins.
Superbowl History
In 1966, a series of secret meetings regarding a possible AFL-NFL merger were held in the spring between Hunt of Kansas City and Tex Schramm of Dallas. Under the agreement, the two leagues would combine to form an expanded league with 24 teams, to be increased to 26 in 1968 and to 28 by 1970 or soon thereafter. While maintaining separate schedules through 1969, the leagues agreed to play an annual AFL-NFL World Championship Game beginning in January, 1967.
In 1969 an AFL team won the Super Bowl for the first time, as the Jets defeated the Colts 16-7 at Miami, January 12 in Super Bowl III. The title Super Bowl was recognized by the NFL for the first time.
Superbowl XXXIX (39) will be held February 6, 2005, in Jacksonville, FL.