The official Mardi Gras season comes along once per year between the Epiphany and Ash Wednesday. However, you need not wait until that time of year to enjoy all the pleasures of Mardi Gras. When you throw a Mardi Gras party, you can invoke the pure joy and good times of the holiday. Follow these tips to throw a Mardi Gras party that guests will always remember.

Carefully Choose Food That Fits the Mardi Gras Theme

If you are doing a fancy Mardi Gras dinner party, French fare should be served. However, for casual parties, simply prepare food that one would get when attending a Mardi Gras celebration. The main course is then carnival food. You may opt to keep things healthier and be inclusive for all guests by serving vegetarian hot dogs and beignets.

Finger foods can take the form of the food that is commonly thrown in Mardi Gras parades. You can serve these on a platter, or have some extra fun with it. Consider having an impromptu "parade" where someone walks through the party in full costume, tossing out "goodies" to the crowd. Food that has been thrown from Mardi Gras floats include Moon Pies and Cracker Jacks.

Be sure to have dessert in the form of a King Cake! A king cake is simply a cake that has a small trinket (usually a little plastic baby to represent baby Jesus) baked inside the cake. When you serve the cake to guests, be sure that everyone knows to look out for the trinket. According to tradition, the person who is served the piece of cake with the trinket is believed to receive luck and prosperity from it.

Decorate With Plenty of Beads

Many people don't realize that Mardi Gras is French for "Fat Tuesday." That's what the term means, but there is a lot more to this jovial, often misunderstood holiday. One thing is for sure: Mardi Gras and beads go together. Be sure to include lots of beads when you're decorating for Mardi Gras.

Also, since the official colors of Mardi Gras are purple, green, and gold, it's a good idea to go with purple, green, and gold beads for the majority of your decorating. Get creative. Hang them on mirrors, and you may even want to hang them from the tops of doorways. Use your imagination and decorate extravagantly. That's the style of Mardi Gras.

Give High-Quality, Themed Party Favors to Guests

Your party guests will be thrilled by gifts that are themed for Mardi Gras. In addition to having beads as decorations at your party, you want to also give guests beads as gifts. You may do a little questionnaire when inviting guests to your party where you find out each guest's favorite color. You can then give them beads to match their preferences.

You can give away the party favors one by one, too. For example, buy plenty of Mardi Gras masks to give away to guests. Be sure to stash some extras, too, in case you get some last-minute, unexpected guests. Then, as guests walk in the door, you may let them choose a mask from a group of masks. That way, people get to choose the colors and designs that they like, and they can have the option of wearing the mask throughout the party.

Finally, keep in mind that your Mardi Gras party can be full of surprises. The holiday itself is. While most people think it started in New Orleans, its origins in the United States are actually in Mobile, Alabama. Mardi Gras is still such a big celebration in Mobile that most schools give kids two or three days off for the festivities.

Don't be afraid to do up your party in grand style. Mardi Gras is worth celebrating to the max. When you're preparing for your next celebration, you can find everything you need at Mardi Gras Supplies. From beads to all the party supplies you can dream up, we carry what you want for festive fun.