Happy Fat Tuesday! Mar 4, 2025

Happy Fat Tuesday!

Mardi Gras, or "Fat Tuesday," is a vibrant tradition that marks the last day of indulgence before the Christian season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday. Rooted in ancient Roman celebrations like Saturnalia, Mardi Gras evolved as Christianity spread, blending local customs—most notably Carnival festivities—with religious observances. The name itself originates from French, with the word gras meaning "fat," referring to rich, fatty foods like meat, eggs, and cheese that are traditionally enjoyed before the fasting season begins.

© SeanPavonePhoto/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Mar 4, 2018Australian baobab tree, Kimberley region, Western Australia
Mar 4, 2019The eloquence of elephants
Mar 4, 2020A different kind of dive
Mar 4, 2021The most wonderful day of the year. Period.
Mar 4, 20222022 Winter Paralympics
Mar 4, 2023Mount Pico, Portugal
Mar 4, 2024Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Apr 25, 2023World Penguin Day
Dec 6, 2018The owl that loved football
Apr 13, 2025Songkran—Thai New Year
Nov 9, 2020Autumn in Piedmont
Feb 11, 2022harlem
Apr 3, 2024Find a Rainbow Day
Sep 28, 2024National Public Lands Day
Jul 29, 2025International Tiger Day
Feb 21, 2025Champaka Sarasi, Shivamogga, Karnataka, India
May 30, 2018‘The memory of Abraham Lincoln is enshrined forever’
Dec 30, 2022White Desert National Park, Egypt
May 9, 2025International Chameleon Day
Oct 30, 2018A species worth defending
Jul 27, 2019Longer days mean warmer sand
Jul 20, 2023International Moon Day
Aug 22, 2024Ocean City, Maryland, at sunrise
Dec 5, 2018’Chess on ice’
Jul 5, 2024Daintree Rainforest and Noah Beach, Queensland, Australia
Jul 10, 2025Independence Day of the Bahamas
Oct 7, 2018Room at the top?
Jan 2, 2020Winter in the Finnish wilds
Dec 15, 2022Borovets ski resort in Bulgaria
Jan 14, 2023Feast of the Donkey
Aug 14, 2022World Lizard Day
Dec 16, 2025Handmade gnomes at a Christmas market
Jan 23, 2025Sundance Film Festival
Dec 4, 2018A viewer with a view
Feb 28, 2025Tibetan New Year
Mar 25, 2022Tolkien Reading Day
Mar 5, 2022Mont-Saint-Michel