How to Pick Mardi Gras Specialty Beads

Purple, green and gold beads are the most common "throws" available at Mardi Gras parade, parties and on the streets of the French Quarter. Men climb over barricades and women bare their breasts just to get their hands on these treasured New Orleans gems. Back in the 1920s, people threw glass beads from floats, but the majority of beads available today are machine-made plastic. Most people hand out 33-inch, round beads, but you can also find a number of different specialty beads to make your Mardi Gras experience more unique.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Pick Mardi Gras Specialty Beads

1. Pick up jumbo beads at a local party store or on the streets of New Orleans during parades. If you want a unique look, go for beads that look like Christmas ornaments, starting at 48 inches in diameter or larger.

2. Pick up bead necklaces featuring animal medallions and animal trinkets. Select among popular creatures, such as alligators, pink elephants, monkeys, frogs and pink flamingos.

3. Pick up specialty beads for the sports enthusiast in your life. Look for football-shaped beads or a string of beads with football helmets. If you can't find beads with sporting trinkets, look for beads in team colors.

4. Go for a patriotic look with red, white and blue beads. Select beads with American flags, peace signs and Uncle Sam depictions.

5. Look for specialty necklaces featuring miniature Mardi Gras masks. Find strings of beads with delicate eye masks, featuring fringe or theatrical comedy and tragedy masks for the thespian in your life.

6. Get into the tradition of Mardi Gras rebellion and pick politically themed specialty beads. Pick beads with donkey or elephant medallions to get people engaged in political discussions.

7. Look for traditional Mardi Gras glass and plastic beads with fleur-di-lis medallions in gold.

8. Grab bead necklaces featuring plastic beer mugs and hurricane glasses. Look for flashing beads as well. Be sure to purchase the appropriate batteries.

9. Find the best locations for watching parades, annual krewes themes, city maps and more in Arthur Hardy's "Mardi Gras Guide" at MardiGrasGuide.com (see Resources below).

Tips & Warnings

• If you have too many beads around your neck, you may have difficulty getting more. Take some off and stash them in a tote bag.
• If you're looking for parade floats using fiber-optic lighting, check out the krewes of Orpheus parade.

Resources

• Arthur Hardy's Mardi Gras Guide at MardiGrasGuide.com