Amateur night - down south

"So to our Yankee neighbors who are still up in the snow belt, I will wish to you a Happy Mardi Gras! I know, I know - not your holiday. Your holiday (especially in St. Paul), is St. Patrick's Day. By the way - St. Patrick's day is yet another day to get stupid. How do I know? Been there - done that."  

There are many who believe Alabama, not New Orleans, is the birth place of Mardi Gras. It is truly a time when not only girls go wild, but also boys (and in Minnesota speak, everything in-between). In other words, it is New Years Eve in the springtime. Amateur night. A night which is suppose to be for eating maybe too much, maybe having a drink or two before the Hold Day of Ash Wednesday, has turned into a night of debauchery in many parts of the south. 

Well said Bird! You old man! You kill joy! Dr. Buzzkill! Actually, it is well said. And yes, I like to have fun as much as the next guy. But - we must remember just how Holy the day after Mardi Gras is. A friend of ours once said that going to Ash Wednesday service is like getting your teeth cleaned. How so? You lay yourself bare in front of God and humble yourself. You confess your sins. You ready your heart for the season of the Passion. That should be the focus this week. Not how many shots of Jagermeister can be chugged in ten minutes on Fat Tuesday.

But, but - what about the floats, the parades? The colors, the music, the fanfare. What is wrong with that? Nothing. It is part of the culture down here. As long as it is in good taste, and nobody gets out of control, go for it. Remember though - Fat Tuesday in Mardi Gras exists solely because of Ash Wednesday following it up.

We are staying right on the Alabama border. I could literally spit out the window and almost hit Alabama. We have been exploring different towns in southern Alabama this past week. They streets are all decked out in Mardi Gras color. Even though the temps have been unseasonably cool, the warmth of how these streets are decorated is fun to watch and experience.

So to our Yankee neighbors who are still up in the snow belt, I will wish to you a Happy Mardi Gras! I know, I know - not your holiday. Your holiday (especially in St. Paul), is St. Patrick's Day. By the way - St. Patrick's day is yet another day to get stupid. How do I know? Been there - done that.