In addition to Mardi Gras traditions, Catholics celebrate Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter, a little differently. On Palm Sunday many Louisiana Catholics receive a palm leaf during mass. The palm is traditionally placed above their doors to keep out evil spirits.

The Cajun marriage tradition is also riddled with lore for ensuring a happy, lucky, and long marriage. Engaged couples publish wedding announcements, called banns, three times prior to marriage. After the ceremony, the couple and their immediate family parade around a dance floor while listening to the marche des mariés (wedding march). As the newlyweds waltz, onlookers pin cash to the bride’s veil in exchange for a kiss or dance. On the honeymoon night, friends and relatives gather outside the couple’s residence, whistling, shouting, and rattling pots and pans until the couple invite everyone inside for food and drink. This practice was called charivari, but is no longer done today for obvious reasons!

Other traditions include variations on Christmas dinner: Cajuns eat Gumbo, dirty rice, and pecan pie in addition to the usual fare. And if at any meal, you should drop food on the floor, you can salvage it with a blessing. Also, check out the Cajun Night Before Christmas, another Cajun tradition!