As a Latina I usually don’t need much of a reason to celebrate. I try to find a little something to celebrate every day (it keeps me grounded and grateful) but this February 21st, you don’t have to look to hard to find a reason to celebrate. February 21st is Mardi Gras! The name Mardi Gras means Fat Tuesday in French, and marks the period AFTER epiphany or for us, Dia De Los Reyes Magos and ends in Ash Wednesday. The reason why this Tuesday is so fat is that Mardi Gras is the last night of eating fatty, rich foods before giving a lot of the good tasting stuff awash for Lent.

So if you plan to incorporate a little Mardi Gras fun into your February, but maybe can’t make it to New Orleans, here are some ideas on how you can bring all the fun of Bourbon Street to your home!

To Decorate with!

Mardi Gras Parade Spectators Centerpiece

In New Orleans during Mardi Gras there are tons of parades. Thousands of people gather in the streets to watch these amazing spectacles. Everything is so colorful and there is music pouring out of every restaurant and sidewalk cafe, there’s nothing more festive. This centerpiece celebrates the Mardi Gras parade and it’s spectators using simple paper dolls.

Fold a strip of paper like an accordion. Draw or trace a figure making sure some part of the body touches both edges of the paper.

Without cutting the attaching extremities, cut out the figure.

Unfold. Make a whole bunch in gold, purple and green.

Attach some Mardi Gras beads to some of the figures using seed beads and thread.

Gather the paper dolls around some candle holders for a festive tabletop crowd.