By Mardi Gras 2006, that pride led many of us to deck out our homes, often going over the top both inside and out, where previous decorations typically were limited to flags or bunting.

She plans to use the palm trees in front of her home as decoration for tiki huts. But the drive to turn houses into Mardi Gras floats goes beyond just keeping the holiday tradition alive.

Food booths have started to arrive around Universal Studios Florida for Universal Mardi Gras: International Flavors of Carnaval. The event begins on February 1 and lasts through March 30.