The unique tradition of flinging treats from parade floats dates back to the 19th century.

Most of the Mardi Gras traditions we hold dear have origins in the various Carnivals of Europe: the parades, the maskers, the parties and balls, and even the idea of throwing gifts to the crowds. But, of course, everyone agrees that all of these are better in New Orleans.

  Here in the Crescent City, the Mardi Gras tradition of throwing stuff to the crowds began in the 19th century. The streets at Mardi Gras were filled with masqueraders during the 1830s through the 1850s. Lots of folks, like today, just wandered around on foot. But if you could afford it, a carriage was the way to go. While riding around in their carriages, folks had fun tossing bonbons and dragees (sugar-coated almonds) to people in the streets. As a joke, the riders often tossed little bags of flour that broke when they hit a target. Then the crowd started to bring their own bags of flour to chuck back at the folks in the carriages. After one Mardi Gras during which many bags of flour were flung in both directions, a writer described the Ash Wednesday street scene as having the "aspect of a snow blanket."

  This harmless fun took a nasty turn when Mardi Gras merrymakers got even more rambunctious. Flour didn’t seem to be adequate for some, so they commenced to tossing bags of dust and quicklime. This angered a bunch of folks, and Mardi Gras celebration was almost stopped. The New Orleans press began demanding an end to the foolishness. An article in the Bee in 1854 described the offending activities: "Boys with bags of flour paraded the streets, and painted Jezabels exhibited themselves in public carriages, and that is about all. We are not sorry that this miserable annual exhibition is rapidly becoming extinct. It originated in a barbarous age, and is worthy of only such."

  Thank goodness, Mardi Gras celebrations and throwing trinkets never ceased. The first newspaper account of "throws" came in 1871 when the newly organized Twelfth Night Revelers surprised the crowd when a masker dressed like Santa Claus handed out gifts. And in 1881, some maskers in the Rex parade tossed out peanuts and candy. But most of this tossing and giving of gifts was pretty random and usually only to especially chosen family and friends.

  In 1921, Rex began the idea of all maskers tossing beads and baubles to the crowds. Other krewes joined in the fun, and this soon became an expected feature of every parade. Shouts of "Hey, Mister, throw me something!" became the parade-goers’ mantra.

  The beads of the old days were glass, mostly from Czechoslovakia. (We knew this because they had little tags on them that told us so.) But the glass beads got to be expensive and difficult to get after the country was invaded in 1968. So gradually the change from glass to plastic began in the late 1960s. And since superkrewes like Bacchus began to spoil the crowds with beads that fell like rain, a cheap source was absolutely necessary.

  Perhaps the most popular Mardi Gras throw ever created was the doubloon. The brainchild of H. Alvin Sharpe, the doubloon was first produced for the Rex organization in 1960. In a very short time, practically every Carnival krewe and marching club created its own medallion. Since 1960, more that 15,000 different varieties of the light-weight coins have been produced. However, not all of the doubloons get tossed to the clamoring crowds. Just about every club has limited-edition doubloons – many don’t even resemble the ones that parade-goers beg for – which are sold to krewe members and collectors.

  Another "prized" throw, probably the most useful, is the Mardi Gras cup. I’ll bet just about every household in the city has dozens of these. The first krewe-emblemed cup was thrown in the Krewe of Mardi Gras parade in Metairie in 1979.

  Throws have become such an important part of the Mardi Gras season that when Arthur Hardy publishes his annual Mardi Gras Guide, he makes a point of explaining exactly which throws we will get from each of the over 50 parades.