Mardi Gras, Carnival, Shrove Tuesday, fetter Dienstag

(This is another retread from my blog from 10+ years ago, because several moms have asked about how we observed these liturgical seasons. I hope it helps.)

Today is Shrove Tuesday. We won't all be shriven on that day, but I prefer that term to the Fat Tuesday references; especially as we don't adhere to a rigorous fast that eliminates all meats and dairy, eggs and fats for 40 days (though it may be in our interests to do so!), so we no longer need to eat up all the rich foods in the pantry. And the term "Mardi Gras" has taken on implications so ridiculously removed from the true meaning of this day that I can barely stand to hear it.

One interesting thing I learned last year is that the official colors for New Orleans' Mardi Gras actually have appropriate meanings: the colors were chosen in 1872 by the "King of the Carnival" as purple, green, and gold. Purple represents the justice of the King of Kings. Green represents faith. Gold stands for God's power. At least that's the official story, and the one I'm telling my kids. We will decorate with those colors for our family gathering.

The liturgical year is a fluctuation between feasting and fasting, and you can't really have one without some form of the other! So, in this instance, we feast before we fast.

We usually have some extended family over on this evening and eat a hearty assortment of appetizers for dinner. Then we have a selection of several desserts, as it is the last hurrah for desserts for six weeks. (I should say here that we DO have small desserts on Sundays to remember that Sundays are special, and not penitential; they are dedicated to the Resurrection. This is a matter of personal discretion; I know families that think indulging what you've "given up for Lent" on Sundays is "cheating." We don't go crazy on that day and do with reckless abandon what we've surrendered for Lent, but we are less rigorous with the children. It seems to us a way of balancing the asceticism and not discouraging them.)

We will have traditional and non-traditional foods and desserts, from kid-friendly chicken nuggets and mini-burritos to Polish Paczki (We are not Polish, but who can resist? These are local favorites!) and Italian fritelle (we ARE Italian!). Kids are allowed to drink pop (that's what we Midwesterners call soda) while the adults will break into a bottle of wine. I will make my soon-to-be-famous mochaccino for my sisters and I to linger over dessert. We will play music and games, and the kids will be allowed to stay up later than usual, which is almost more exciting than the desserts.

All of this comes, of course, after several conversations about Lent - what it is, why it is, how we as a family and each individual will take this time to prepare for the commemoration of the deepest Mystery of our faith. We prepare by remembering what is essential, and denying ourselves what is inessential.

But as I said, we will feast a little before we fast.