Jet Set Restaurant Reading, Pennsylvania Menus!: Come to the Largest Mardi Gras Party in Town! This Thursday @ Jet Set Restaurant. 118 South 9th St. Reading For Info: 215-650-3587 --------------------- Mardi Gras is Moon Pies and Beads and So Much More For anybody who hasn't experience Mardi Gras for themselves, there is much too be missed. All along the Gulf Coast starting around the first part of the year, excitement begins to build as the season approaches. Though actually celebrated because of the somber season of Lent, people from all walks of life enjoy the holiday. The holiday has its origins in Europe that was a time of extravagant fun for early Christians. The tradition was brought to the United States by these Europeans. In the United States, it first began in Mobile back in 1703. In the United States, it is original to the port city of Mobile, Alabama. The words are French in origin and mean Fat Tuesday. It is celebrated in both Mobile and New Orleans on a grand scale with extravagant balls and spectacular parades. Masks were used from the very beginning and members of many societies still utilize them when riding on floats in the parades. In the early days of parading societies, it was against the rules for the members to reveal themselves to people outside of the society. Although many societies have dropped this policy, several of the oldest societies still adhere to this and revealing ones identity to anyone leads to immediate dismissal from the society. Because people behaved so badly while hidden by masks, for decades in the early 19th century masks were actually illegal for use during Mardi Gras in New Orleans. That ban was eventually lifted and masks once again became all the rage. In 1872, the city of New Orleans received a visit from the Grand Duke Alexis Romanoff at a parade. In honor of the occasion the Krewe of Rex, one of the oldest in New Orleans, wanted to host a parade in honor of the Grand Duke's visit. They went as far as appointing a "king for the day" so royalty could host a reception for his highness. This was so popular that the tradition stuck and every year societies in both New Orleans and Mobile now select kings and queens to preside over their annual balls. It was also with the Romanoff royal visit that the colors of the festive holiday came into being. The Romanoff house colors were purple for justice, green for faith and gold for power just as the colors are today. When attending parades, throws rain down on spectators from beginning to end. Throws consist of many things ranging from colorful beaded necklaces to doubloons with that particular society's logo to tasty moon pies. Many varieties of candies of also thrown to the crowds as the parades pass by. People also do outrageous things to catch the attention of those atop the floats. They dress outlandishly and some brave souls have been known to expose certain body parts just to get the best throws (of course, that last part is quite illegal and has landed quite a few in the local jail!) Overall, Mardi Gras is a large block party with everyone enjoying the parades, sights, and sounds of those around them. If you haven't been to Mardi Gras you just don't know what you're missing. Ronnie Tanner is a contributing writer at Toomey's Mardi Gras. He writes about Moon Pies and other industry specific topics.