Throw Your Own Mardi Gras Themed Party

Extravagant headdresses, insanely spectacular costumes, festively decked streets, otherworldly celebrations, gleaming beads and parade floats-no doubt about it, you've found yourself in the middle of the Mardi Gras! Mardi Gras is celebrated in many places throughout the world, including Europe, Latin America (most notably Brazil's Carnival), the Caribbean, and Australia, but perhaps the best known Mardi Gras takes place annually in New Orleans.

The Mardi Gras has become notorious for the festive fever that ushers its arrival. It's not celebrated throughout the United States, but its popularity lies in its unique spirit and the fervor with which adherents celebrate it. The Mardi Gras is one huge party, and to the core of the word, this is one party you would not want to miss!

It may only happen once a year, and most of us may not have the good fortune of being able to fly out to New Orleans to crash in and join the pack in their merrymaking, but that doesn't mean we're not entitled to our share of fun and partying! It's easy to throw a Mardi Gras themed party, right out in your backyard even, and best of all, the guest of honor could be you! Tight on your budget? Not a problem at all.

Throwing parties could cost you a fortune, but it's not difficult at all to come up with one for under $50! It's going to take some creativity and patience on your part, but once you whip out those scissors and the creative genius you never knew was in you, you'd be up and partying the night away in no time!

A Mardi Gras themed party could be ideal for any occasion or celebration, whether for birthdays, get-togethers, and reunions, anniversaries, or anything else for the matter. Having a theme simplifies and organizing your decorating ideas, and it adds a thrilling twist that would surely surprise and delight your guests. It all starts with a good invitation, of course! The easiest thing to do would be to order Mardi Gras themed invitations online, but this could be a bit costly. The alternative to that would be to design and create your own invitation. Don't worry, this isn't as difficult as it sounds. Look for free Mardi Gras graphics on the internet by looking them up on search engines and save your favorites graphics on a soft copy. Type your invitation contents and have it ready. Most print shops would gladly assist you in laying out your graphics and text to fit the size specifications of your invitation. You can have them print out custom size invitations on specialty paper that they carry, and this will save you a bundle compared to ordering ready made invitations without sacrificing quality and the delicate addition of a personal touch to each invite.

The Mardi Gras is famous for its barrage of ostentatious masks, and if you're short on time or have that extra cash to spare, it's most convenient to order the masks online. Several online party supply shops carry packs of masks by the dozen or more with vibrant design specifications, and they ship easily. If you have time on your hands, then get yourself ready to engage in a weekend of craft making. This is ideal for groups of friends who want to get together, or as a family activity. All you need to do is check out your local office and art supplies shop to buy some box boards (or any hard backing board that's firm but pliable enough for scissors to cut), bags of glitters, assorted feathers, tiny pompoms, sequin strands, and whatever decorating materials that you think would add glamour and pizzazz to your masks. Oh, and don't forget the glue-you'll need lots of it!

The internet is an indispensable resource. Use it to check out mask designs and shapes that you like, and cut out templates using the backing board. Using the glue, draw out shapes and designs on the board, sprinkle glitter on top. Find color combinations that work to your liking; creativity is the key here. But don't worry if you're not as confident with your artistic skills-you can never go wrong with glitter! Feathers go well with any sort of mask, and the sequin strands can go nicely around the eyes. If you want sticks to go with each mask, you can use cheap bamboo sticks from your local thrift shop and wrap it with ribbon all throughout. A bit of patience and creativity goes a long way. These masks can be decked out to decorate the party venue, and subsequently given out to guests as souvenirs.

A visit to your local thrift shop could do wonders for your party plans! Look for cheap, secondhand cloth in vibrant colors, and you could use these to drape along curtains, staircases, ceilings, walls, or even on your tables. Fishbowls or secondhand vases can be used as table centerpieces, and filled with some of your masks to give a vibrant air.

Any Mardi Gras, of course, would not be complete without beads! In New Orleans, they are spewed over streets and parades, and you could do the same if you're not worried about making a mess of your place! Look for metallic colored beads of different sizes and colors from your local art supply or crafts shop. The cheap varieties work perfectly, and don't forget to buy some nylon cord to string your beads on. The strings of beads could be used to decorate your mask centerpieces, draped along the venue, or given to guests as they arrive. A creative twist could involve the guests giving their personal messages or their wishes for the party's guest of honor, with each one offering a string of beads to the guest of honor as they say messages out loud.

In the true spirit of New Orleans, Mardi Gras food offerings are all out hearty and distinctively Southern! In modern, health-conscious America, the traditional food offerings might just not work. Design your own menu to suit the tastes of your guests. Hey, a party is only as good as its food, so don't hold back on this one!

Break out those work trousers and let your creative juices flow! Throwing a party can be a piece of cake, with the proper coordination and patience. Taking the extra step to throw together a Mardi Gras themed party will be an unforgettable experience for you and your guests. Customize everything to your liking to bring a personal touch to your party, and you don't need a lot of cash to make it come to life. A bit of creativity goes a long way. The fun doesn't stop in New Orleans-the best party could be right on your backyard!