Everybody loves a party, and they'll seize just about any reason to celebrate, even if it's the advent of Lent, and 40 days of deprivation. It's not like they can't still toss around ideas for having fun. It's a last chance to cut loose before settling in for the duration, and as such, these festivals have become a large part of many cultures around the world.

"Mardi Gras", or "Fat Tuesday" (the day before Ash Wednesday), is a standard carnival in many places, but the three most famous, would be New Orleans, Rio de Janeiro and Venice.

In New Orleans, there is a two-week continuous celebration, featuring parades in various areas of the city, on a nightly basis. The parades have the same basic elements, such as a King and Queen, bands, outrageous costumes, and things tossed to spectators who come from other countries, just for the fun of being pelted with doubloons, beads, or candies by those riding on the decorated floats.

Rio de Janeiro takes New Orleans very good example and embroiders it outrageously. The South American event is closer to a pagan festival than a Christian celebration, with its excesses in everything from parades, to drinking to what is thrown at spectators. This tradition is thought to have come from European origins where the Latin Introito was practiced, with water being thrown at those they passed, to purify their souls. But in Rio, you're likely to be baptized by the local product of a vineyard or other bottled product.

Venice, a more or less staid Roman Catholic center, still "cuts loose" occasionally, and in 1935, decided to enact their own three-day version of the New Orleans Mardi Gras, to much acclaim from citizens and the tourists it drew to the city. Considering their modes of transportation, the parades must have plenty of "floats".

All this grand scale activity makes lesser celebrations pall in comparison. Pity poor Ivrea, Italy, where competing boroughs of the city settle for re-enacting local rebellions by throwing oranges at each other.