How to celebrate Mardi Gras like it's the 1950s

Hint: More clothes, fewer beads

Clowns mardi gras

It's Fat Tuesday, the final day of an annual celebration in New Orleans dedicated to beads, booze, and Rob Ford floats.

At least, that's the modern-day version of Mardi Gras. But the fete traces its history all the way back to ancient Roman times, when it was a rather staid Christian holiday meant to kick off the Lenten season.

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Sarah Eberspacher

Sarah Eberspacher is an associate editor at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked as a sports reporter at The Livingston County Daily Press & Argus and The Arizona Republic. She graduated from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.