If you are throwing a Mardi Gras party, how important do you think Mardi Gras decorations are? With a lot of parties you can get away with the minimum – not every Halloween party needs to have spider webs on the ceiling, right?

Mardi Gras parties are different. The spirit of Mardi Gras is pure bacchanalian revelry. Everyone, from teenagers to little old ladies, knows the reputation Mardi Gras has. One city took that insatiable party spirit and raised it to a whole new level, and that city is New Orleans.

Mardi Gras is different in New Orleans than it is in most places. Carnival celebrations like Mardi Gras are held throughout the world, but only in New Orleans do women take off their shirts to get beads. It is a truly over-the top attitude, and everyone knows about it. When someone comes to your Mardi Gras party, they will be wondering: is this that kind of party? Are we going to get crazy wild? Or is this just a normal house party with a Mardi Gras theme?

Here’s how they will know: the decorations. The decorations at the party tell them everything. If the house looks pretty simple, with just a few decorations, then no amount of beads will lead to half-naked dancing. On the other hand, if masks are handed out at the door and candles and purple strings of lights illuminate the inside, people will immediately shift mental gears and get into the spirit. So… you want to throw a serious Mardi Gras party? Now you know what to do!