{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"The Note Pad | Stationery &amp; Party Etiquette Blog by American Stationery","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.americanstationery.com\/blog","author_name":"admin","author_url":"https:\/\/www.americanstationery.com\/blog\/author\/admin\/","title":"Fun Facts and History of Mardi Gras","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.americanstationery.com\/blog\/fun-facts-and-history-of-mardi-gras\/\">Fun Facts and History of Mardi Gras<\/a><\/blockquote>\n<script type='text\/javascript'>\n<!--\/\/--><![CDATA[\/\/><!--\n\t\t\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n\t\t!function(d,l){\"use strict\";var e=!1,n=!1;if(l.querySelector)if(d.addEventListener)e=!0;if(d.wp=d.wp||{},!d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage)if(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if(t)if(t.secret||t.message||t.value)if(!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var r,i,a,s=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),n=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),c=0;c<n.length;c++)n[c].style.display=\"none\";for(c=0;c<s.length;c++)if(r=s[c],e.source===r.contentWindow){if(r.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message){if(1e3<(a=parseInt(t.value,10)))a=1e3;else if(~~a<200)a=200;r.height=a}if(\"link\"===t.message)if(i=l.createElement(\"a\"),a=l.createElement(\"a\"),i.href=r.getAttribute(\"src\"),a.href=t.value,o.test(a.protocol))if(a.host===i.host)if(l.activeElement===r)d.top.location.href=t.value}}},e)d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",t,!1),d.addEventListener(\"load\",t,!1);function t(){if(!n){n=!0;for(var e,t,r=-1!==navigator.appVersion.indexOf(\"MSIE 10\"),i=!!navigator.userAgent.match(\/Trident.*rv:11\\.\/),a=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),s=0;s<a.length;s++){if(!(e=a[s]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))t=Math.random().toString(36).substr(2,10),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t);if(r||i)(t=e.cloneNode(!0)).removeAttribute(\"security\"),e.parentNode.replaceChild(t,e)}}}}(window,document);\n\/\/--><!]]>\n<\/script><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/www.americanstationery.com\/blog\/fun-facts-and-history-of-mardi-gras\/embed\/\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;Fun Facts and History of Mardi Gras&#8221; &#8212; The Note Pad | Stationery &amp; Party Etiquette Blog by American Stationery\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe>","description":"A Christian holiday and popular cultural phenomenon, Mardi Gras dates back thousands of years to pagan spring and fertility rites. Also known as Carnival, it is celebrated in many countries around the world\u2013mainly those with large Roman Catholic populations\u2013on the day before the religious season of Lent begins Brazil, Venice and New Orleans play host to some of the holiday\u2019s most famous public festivities, drawing thousands of tourists and revelers every year. According to historians, Mardi Gras dates back thousands of years to pagan celebrations of spring and fertility, including the raucous Roman festivals of Saturnalia and Lupercalia. When Christianity arrived in Rome, religious leaders decided to incorporate these popular local traditions into the new faith, an easier task than abolishing them altogether. As a result, the excess and debauchery of the Mardi Gras season became a prelude to Lent, the 40 days of penance between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. Along with Christianity, Mardi Gras spread from Rome to other European countries, including France, Germany, Spain and England. Traditionally, in the days leading up to Lent, merrymakers would binge on all the meat, eggs, milk and cheese that remained in their homes, preparing for several weeks of eating only...Read More"}