Mardi Gras is celebrated annually on the day before Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, a Christian tradition which dictates a 40-day period of self-sacrifice and prayer leading up to Easter.

Centuries ago, pioneering Agents of Leisure realized that the best way to prepare for such an extended span of denial was to plan a night of pure debauchery prior to hunkering down and behaving like a model citizen. This European practice was brought to the Leisure metropolis New Orleans in the late 17th century, and from then on, the tradition of release has expanded to the point where it overshadows the constraint which was its inspiration. Mardi Gras is now its own season, lasting nearly as long as Lent itself and culminating in the happy mayhem of Fat Tuesday.

Traditional masked festivals, parades, and baked goods are all good ways to mark the day, but there's no reason not to improvise. The Leisurely essence of Mardi Gras is simply: get it out of your system. Although The Leisure Agency does not require that you observe Lent, a good way to think about what to do for Mardi Gras is to imagine that you have to live the life of a monk or a nun for the next 40 days. What would you want to indulge in before your last night as a free Agent was over?

Captain Glitter Biscuit suggested this holiday.

Resources

• About Mardi Gras
• Mardi Gras recipes