Mardi Gras Dictionary
Mardi Gras Dictionary
BALL ~ (bal masque; tableau ball) A masked ball in which scenes representing a specific theme are enacted for the entertainment of the club members and their guests; krewe "royalty" is traditionally presented during the ball.
CAPTAIN ~ The absolute leader of each Carnival organization.
CARNIVAL ~ From the Latin carnivale, loosely translated as "farewell to flesh"; the season of merriment in New Orleans which begins annually on January 6, the Twelfth Night (the feast of the Epiphany), and ends at midnight on Fat Tuesday; the Carnival season leads up to the penitential season of Lent in which fasting replaces feasting.
COURT ~ The King, Queen, maids, and dukes of the Carnival organization.
DEN ~ A large warehouse where floats are built and stored.
DOUBLOONS ~ Aluminum coin-like objects bearing the krewe's insignia on one side and the parade's theme on the reverse; first introduced by Rex in 1960 and created by New Orleans artist H. Alvin Sharpe. Doubloons are also minted and sold in .999 silver, bronze and cloisonne.
FAVOR ~ A souvenir, given by krewe members to friends attending the ball, normally bearing the organization's insignia, name and year of issue.
INVITATION ~ A printed request for attendance at a Carnival ball. In the 19th century, many invitations were die-cut and printed in Paris; today, most are printed in New Orleans. Invitations are non-transferable, and it is improper to ever refer to them as "tickets".
KING CAKE ~ An oval sugared pastry that contains a plastic doll hidden inside. The person who finds the doll is crowned "king" and buys the next cake or throws the next party. The king cake season opens on King's Day, January 6, the feast of the Epiphany. More than 750,000 king cakes are annually consumed in the metro New Orleans area during Carnival season.
KREWE ~ The generic term for the Carnival organizations in New Orleans, first used by the Mystic Krewe of Comus, which coined the word in 1857 to give it's club's name an Old English flavor.
LASSIEZ BON TEMPS ROULE! ~ Let the good times roll!
LUNDI GRAS ~ French for Fat Monday, From 1874 to 1917, the day before Mardi Gras was celebrated by the arrival of Rex aboard a steamboat. The custom was revived in 1987; and Lundi gras now includes Carnival act ivies staged by Zulu and Rex.
MARDI GRAS ~ French for Fat Tuesday, the single-day culmination of the Carnival season.
THROWS ~ Inexpensive trinkets tossed from floats by costumed and masked krewe members. Among the more popular items are krewe-emblemed aluminum doubloons, plastic cups, and white pearl necklaces. Throws are tossed in response to the cry, "Throw me something , mister!?
BALL ~ (bal masque; tableau ball) A masked ball in which scenes representing a specific theme are enacted for the entertainment of the club members and their guests; krewe "royalty" is traditionally presented during the ball.
CAPTAIN ~ The absolute leader of each Carnival organization.
CARNIVAL ~ From the Latin carnivale, loosely translated as "farewell to flesh"; the season of merriment in New Orleans which begins annually on January 6, the Twelfth Night (the feast of the Epiphany), and ends at midnight on Fat Tuesday; the Carnival season leads up to the penitential season of Lent in which fasting replaces feasting.
COURT ~ The King, Queen, maids, and dukes of the Carnival organization.
DEN ~ A large warehouse where floats are built and stored.
DOUBLOONS ~ Aluminum coin-like objects bearing the krewe's insignia on one side and the parade's theme on the reverse; first introduced by Rex in 1960 and created by New Orleans artist H. Alvin Sharpe. Doubloons are also minted and sold in .999 silver, bronze and cloisonne.
FAVOR ~ A souvenir, given by krewe members to friends attending the ball, normally bearing the organization's insignia, name and year of issue.
INVITATION ~ A printed request for attendance at a Carnival ball. In the 19th century, many invitations were die-cut and printed in Paris; today, most are printed in New Orleans. Invitations are non-transferable, and it is improper to ever refer to them as "tickets".
KING CAKE ~ An oval sugared pastry that contains a plastic doll hidden inside. The person who finds the doll is crowned "king" and buys the next cake or throws the next party. The king cake season opens on King's Day, January 6, the feast of the Epiphany. More than 750,000 king cakes are annually consumed in the metro New Orleans area during Carnival season.
KREWE ~ The generic term for the Carnival organizations in New Orleans, first used by the Mystic Krewe of Comus, which coined the word in 1857 to give it's club's name an Old English flavor.
LASSIEZ BON TEMPS ROULE! ~ Let the good times roll!
LUNDI GRAS ~ French for Fat Monday, From 1874 to 1917, the day before Mardi Gras was celebrated by the arrival of Rex aboard a steamboat. The custom was revived in 1987; and Lundi gras now includes Carnival act ivies staged by Zulu and Rex.
MARDI GRAS ~ French for Fat Tuesday, the single-day culmination of the Carnival season.
THROWS ~ Inexpensive trinkets tossed from floats by costumed and masked krewe members. Among the more popular items are krewe-emblemed aluminum doubloons, plastic cups, and white pearl necklaces. Throws are tossed in response to the cry, "Throw me something , mister!?
posted by Gifts Etc Blog at
5:37 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home