Though I don’t think this what the Le Moyne brothers pictured. And you know, those beads are a choking hazard.

For reasons known only to the gods and Corporate, there is to be a celebration of Mardi Gras. Starting in the middle of the Lenten season, ending well past it. At daycare. My mind boggles at this. They have a lot of parties at daycare, as most of Wolfie’s clutch of friends were born in spring time. But on the other hand, they really hammer home stuff like days of the week, letters of the alphabet, and that old-fashioned-new-fangled phonics stuff.

But Mardi Gras? An interesting alternative to the “Spring Party”; divvying up Easter and Passover is a bit hard to really break down to the under-five set. But I braved the balmy spring weather and hit the crafty spots here and there go gather our supplies to bring, as Instructed In A Letter Home, a home-made Mardi Gras craft project. For the three year old and the infant. Um, wow.

Decided on a mask for the Wolf, and a also bought a “bead” necklace with a King Rubber Ducky attached. Helvi would have to make do with armbands converted into leg ruffles hastily safety-pinned onto her pants at Dark O’Clock this morning.

We I started by cutting a mask out a clean paper plate. Used that plate as a template to cut out the mask (chosen by Wolfie to be of green foam). Wolfie doesn’t quite get the idea that “dolphin” isn’t a choice when he’s asked if he wants a Jester Hat or King Crown, but I finally gave in and agreed that yes, he had a mighty fine green dolphin mask. Besides, I forgot to leave space for the crown or hat to attach when I realized I’d walked out on Plan A, incorporating David Letterman’s likeness (sorry, Jeff!).

Wolfie used the glue stick and the goodies we brought to decorate the mask. I attached the last bits together, and voila! Instant mardi gras mask he’d made with a little help. The red string he chose to hold the mask around his neck clashed, but he’s three. He doesn’t know what Mardi Gras is, and it’s his mask anyway. We’re already celebrating an adult party of feasting and drunkeness before we cast ourselves into 40 days of meditation and fasting … shined up and used as an excuse to eat green, purple, and yellow frosted cakes. He can darn well show up with a red string around his neck if he likes.

The mask was the first thing he asked for the next day. “Is my mask dry yet? Can I wear it to school? Happy birthday, Mardi Gras. We’re going to have a party today!” He kept it on through belt-buckling and unbuckling, and deigned to pause a moment for some quick photos before disappearing into school. Whereupon it was promptly seized and hung up on the wall as decoration. Speed-Skimming Mommy bombs again. Good thing we kept the duck and beads in the diaper bag; other wise little Ms. Mardi Diaper would have looked more like a flamenco dancer in training for her photo shoot.

But if the daycare really needs more secular holidays to celebrate between the sacred cows of Valentines Day, St Patrick’s Day, and the Fourth of July, may I suggest:

  • International Women’s Day
  • World Water Day
  • Arbor Day
  • Flag Day
  • Memorial Day
  • Equinoxes
  • International Workers Day

Any other suggestions?