Mardi Gras Murder Mystery Care Package

Mardi Gras seems to be a holiday that you either (a) LOVE, (b) have heard of but really don't know much about or (c) Mardi What?  My inlaws live in Mobile, Al and my older son has always wanted to go visit them during Mardi Gras.  The problem has always been twofold:  Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) is always during the school year and my husband's company is always too busy at that time for us to go away for a week.  But, back to my son, he just loves all that is cajun:  the food, the party, you name it.

Well, I can't get him to either Mobile or New Orleans this upcoming Tuesday, but I could bring supplies for a Mardi Gras Party to him.  So, I got to thinking about what I could do besides send him some goodies to eat along with some Mardi Gras beads. 

Think

Think

Think

A-HA!

A Murder Mystery 

For those of you that have never attended a murder mystery party, they are super fun.  I found this great online store, My Mystery Party.  They have a ton of parties to choose from and they are instantly downloadable.  I chose this one,  Mardi Gras Madness....Murder at the Jester Bar.  It is good for 8-18 people.

When you download these mysteries, the document is a huge PDF, say 75-100 pages.  There is everything you need....even suggested menu w/recipes and additional activities to play within the mystery (like "so you think you can dance", and "jester hat making competition").

Okay, so I downloaded this mystery.  Now it was time to put together the care package.  Here's what I did.

First, I got the entire mystery party together so that my son is prepared to host the party.  I put things together and into their own big envelopes (like round 1, round 2, round 3, host info, etc).  Also, I know Mardi Gras in New Orleans includes "drunken debaucheries" so I included some Virgil's, a micro brewed cream soda.

Then I picked up some supplies from the Dollar Tree:  Mardi Gras beads, masks and coins along with some napkins.  I picked up some moon pies at my local grocery store (moon pies are a big part of the celebation in Mobile, AL).  Then I made some Kings Cake inspired cupcakes (learn how here).  Finally, the airheads and butterfingers are Kings Cake prizes.

I hope my son and his friends have a fun Mardi Gras inspired evening.  What do you  think?

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