The Tradition of the Masquerade

Masked balls have been a tradition in many cities around the world for centuries, but in no place do they have a richer tradition than in Italy, specifically Venice. The Venetian Carnival, marked by public masked balls where attendees arrived in spectacular costumes and masks, came into popularity in the 15th century. Since those days, the masquerade has spread throughout the world, and become popular especially during Mardi Gras, when Carnivals are held around the globe. Some of the cities best known for these celebrations include New Orleans and Rio de Janeiro.

Masquerade balls have a particular magic and mystery to them, because it is difficult to tell who is hiding behind the elaborate masks. This lends an excitement to these events that is still popular to this day. Hiding your identity behind a mask is a freeing experience, and it is no wonder that all kinds of behavior has been seen at masked balls that would not normally be sanctioned by society!

Although today's masked balls in general don't reach the standard of exquisite dress and fabulously decorated masks as they did in the past, they are still alive and well, especially during the Halloween season. Although Carnival celebrations traditionally take place in March as a precursor to the somber proceedings of Lent, Halloween is probably the more well-known day to dress up and don a mask nowadays.

While all kinds of costumes and masks can be seen at Halloween, traditional masquerade costumes have the appearance of the fashions that were popular when the masked ball was at its height. It's common to see fancy dresses with anything from a 15th to 18th century style - full gowns with petticoats, old fashion shoes and of course hats. But it's really the mask that makes the costume, after all it's a masked ball! In the heyday of Venice, the masks were a hot commodity and artists vied to create the most lovely, elaborate and beautiful.

Simple masks also abounded, and were part of the tradition. Today, both kinds of mask can still be purchased in Venice, but thanks to the internet you don't have to go that far to find a gorgeous masquerade costume. Whether you have been invited to a true Masquerade, or you are attending a Halloween costume and want something spectacular, a Masquerade costume is a great choice.

The elaborate accents and beautiful feathered masks of these costumes are not seen much these days - so you are sure to be the most looked at woman in the room if you choose such a costume for Halloween.

Want to find out more about Halloween Costumes, then visit Kim Nguyen's site on how to choose the best Masquerade Costumes for your needs.

The Tradition of Mardi Gras Throws Dates Way Back and Will Surprise You

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If you ask the question, "When did the tradition of throws actually begin?", you are bound to get a different answer from each person asked. Some say that the tradition of tossing baubles to the crowd dates back to the nineteenth century, when a rider whose custom was that of Santa Claus had the idea to pass out trinkets just as his character could be expected to do. Others say it began in the 1920's. These same people will tell you that the first throw was actually flour that would be tossed by the handful onto the unsuspecting crowd of parade watchers.

No matter the origins of this tradition, today it is part and parcel of the Mardi Gras experience. Every year millions of colorful beads in just about every conceivable arrangement rain down on the expectant crowds gathered to watch and participate in the Mardi Gras parades. Probably the most notable and well-recognized throws today are these beaded necklaces, however there is a wide range of what is considered a prize throw. Most Krewes today, toss doubloons and cups as well. These are imprinted with the name of the Krewe, that year's theme and the date. Outrageous things are sometimes done in the name of catching prize throws. The theory is that the more pleasing the display is to the float riders, the more likely they will be to toss one of the better throws. Because some societies are all male or all female, one has only to use the imagination to figure out what some women may bare to get the attention of the riders in an all male society. A caveat is needed here, as this is baring of normally clothed body parts can and has landed many a young female in the slammer. That being said, many people use other creative methods to get the attention of riders on the floats. Some dress in costumes, that of a priest being a favorite in New Orleans. Others devise ingenuous contraptions in order to snare the most throws. These usually take the form of various types of netting which are then raised into the air in order to gather in as many throws as possible.

Because some members of these parading societies tend to ingest a copious quantity of alcohol before and during the parade, it can be noted that the more inebriated a rider becomes, the greater the amount of throws he will sling out to the crowd at any given moment.

Confetti used to be a popular throw but was banned early in the twentieth century because it had a tendency to get lodged in the eyes of the parade watchers. Today, many things are used as throws. These range from Frisbee's to stuffed animals. Male riders many times buy long stemmed silk roses and hand them over to the beautiful damsels in the crowd. Because riders are masked, women particularly enjoy receiving the roses, as they find this a highly romantic gesture, heightened by the hidden identity of the rider.

Ronnie Tanner is a contributing writer at Toomey's Mardi Gras. He writes about Mardi Gras Masks and other industry specific topics.