Mardi Gras

Thousands of revelers turned out for Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans on Monday and Tuesday, including celebrities like recent Oscar-winner Melissa Leo, actress Jennifer Coolidge, and creator of "The Wire" and the NOLA-set "Treme" David Simon.

Stuck at home for Mardi Gras this year and want to make it more special than ordering Cajun shrimp pasta at Red Lobster? Try these tips:

Did you think Mardi Gras was strictly a New Orleans thing? Think again. In Belgium Mardi Gras is the most important day of the year. Belgians celebrate the Carnival of Binche in the city of Binche, which features lots of music and dancing. Sweden celebrates Fettisdagen, translating to "Fat Tuesday." In Canada Mardi Gras is celebrated throughout the country, especially in the french-spea