Ready to keep the sparkle going after New Year’s Day, but Valentine’s decor is just not your vibe? A Mardi Gras tree is a ridiculously fun way to keep holiday energy in your house without staring at a sad, bare corner all winter. It is the perfect solution for anyone who loves festive homes, cozy lights, and having a reason to celebrate even when Christmas is packed away.
Check out these Carnival ready Mardi Gras tree ideas and get inspired to decorate your own tree for Mardi Gras season, even if you are nowhere near New Orleans.
This post is to inspire you to decorate your tree for Mardi Gras!
These Mardi Gras decorations are all about turning a regular tree into a little party moment. Some people start with an all white tree, some keep their green tree up, and some do a smaller tabletop tree, but the vibe is the same: bold color, playful texture, and that “Carnival is coming” feeling.
Imagine a tree glowing with purple, green, and gold, layered with beads, ribbon, and tree toppers that make it feel like a celebration from the top of the tree all the way down. You can reuse basic Christmas decorations, swap in a few Christmas ornaments that work with the palette, and then add iconic Mardi Gras pieces that instantly scream “parade season.”
When Is Mardi Gras This Year?
Mardi Gras Day (Fat Tuesday) is Tuesday, February 17, 2026.
Mardi Gras is tied to Lent and falls 47 days before Easter (Western calendar). In 2026, Easter Sunday is April 5, 2026 in the U.S.
Slowestuff Mardi Gras Section
We LOVE Mardi Gras, and have an entire section of the Blog dedicated to it!
Pace yourself! Drink water! Wear comfortable shoes! Eat some king cake! Be the Life of the Mardi! Check out our full guide to Mardi Gras in New Orleans to give you all the helpful tips and tricks so you make it to Ash Wednesday.
If you are looking for the perfect Mardi Gras outfit, check out the posts we have on Mardi Gras boutique outfits, dressy and casual Mardi Gras outfits for women and outfit ideas for men too!
If you are inspired by the items posted but they are not quite right, head over to our storefront of Mardi Gras Essentials to look through all types of ideas of Mardi Gras thing like Mardi Gras outfits for women, men and kids!
What is a Mardi Gras Tree?
A Mardi Gras tree is a Christmas tree you redecorate in purple, green, and gold using beads, masks, ribbon, and fleur-de-lis accents so it feels like Carnival season instead of Christmas.
A Mardi Gras Christmas tree is basically what happens when you refuse to let cozy twinkle lights leave your life, but you still want your decor to match the season. You take a tree you already own and dress it up with classic Mardi Gras symbols, colors, and textures so it feels festive, intentional, and totally not Christmas anymore.
If you are in the earlier the better, Christmas decorating club and you always feel a little emotionally attacked by taking the tree down, this is your sign. A Mardi Gras tree keeps that warm glow in your space and gives you a reason to decorate through January and February in a way that is playful but still grown-up.
The easiest way to make it read as Mardi Gras is using the traditional Mardi Gras colors and repeating them all over the tree. Add a few statement pieces like a mask or a fleur de lis and suddenly it feels like a mini Carnival display even if you have never been to Louisiana.
And the best part: you do not need a cart full of new stuff. A handful of themed accents plus a strong ribbon plan can transform a basic tree fast, especially if you style with bows, beads, and a few bold focal points.
What Are The Best Decorations for a Mardi Gras Tree?
If you are not from Louisiana, it can be hard to tell what counts as Mardi Gras decor versus “random purple party stuff.” Here are the easiest, most recognizable elements to use so your tree reads instantly as Mardi Gras. If you want the full story behind the traditions, timelines, and what everything means, check out my other Mardi Gras posts linked earlier in this post.
- Start with the colors – The traditional Mardi Gras colors are purple, green, and gold. Purple is for justice, green is for faith, and gold is for power. Use them evenly across ribbon, ornaments, and garland so your tree has a clear color story.
- Beads and throws – Mardi Gras beads are iconic because they are the classic parade “throws.” Layer them like garland, drape them in swags, or cluster them in sections for that parade float look.
- Masquerade masks – Masks instantly signal Carnival and parades. Use mask ornaments, a large mask as a focal piece, or tuck masks into the ribbon.
- Fleur de lis – A fleur de lis is a classic symbol tied to Louisiana and New Orleans style. It looks amazing as ornaments, picks, or a topper accent.
- Ribbon and bows – Choose one main ribbon pattern and build your bow plan around it. A big loop bow at the top and smaller bows spaced throughout makes the whole tree feel styled, not cluttered.
- Feathers and texture – Feather boas are perfect for Mardi Gras because they are as dramatic and gorgeous as the season itself. Wrap them around the tree or use feather sprays for movement and texture.
- New Orleans icons – Add signs or ornaments that nod to the city, like street sign styles, alligators, jazz themes, Cafe Du Monde and their famous beignets, or simple “NOLA” accents. These are great for people who want the vibe without needing deep tradition knowledge.
- Music and parade details – Tiny trumpets, saxophones, drums, or jester details work beautifully and scream parade season. Of course, you will be perfectly in the spirit if you are playing some zydeco music as you decorate your tree!
- King cake and crawfish – These are playful regional touches. If you want your tree to feel extra themed, add small food ornaments or picks inspired by king cake or crawfish.
- Ornaments that fill space – There is never too much sparkle or too much glitter any time of the year, and CERTAINLY not for Mardi Gras season! Use these single ornaments tucked in around the tree to add more shimmer & color.
When you’re ready to shop, peek at our curated picks in the Slowestuff storefront.
Mardi Gras Tree FAQs:
PLEASE DO! Plus, it is the easiest way to decorate for Mardi Gras without buying a whole new setup. Remove anything that screams Christmas, keep neutral ornaments that still work and if you have gold Christmas tree decor you are really almost done already! Lol. Then build your Mardi Gras look with ribbon, beads, and themed statement pieces like masks or fleur de lis.
The traditional Mardi Gras colors are purple, green, and gold. Purple represents justice, green represents faith, and gold represents power. When you repeat these colors all over the tree, your decor instantly looks intentional and recognizable.
This is where creativity shines! Check out the gallery of trees we have featured here for some great inspiration. Some of the amazing ideas for great Mardi Gras tree toppers include a large masquerade mask, a fleur de lis, a jester hat style topper, or even a jumbo bow in purple, green, and gold. Pick one bold topper so the tree looks finished from the very top.
You can roll right into it after Christmas if you want! Most people decorate in late January or early February and keep it up through Fat Tuesday. If you observe Lent, taking it down right after Mardi Gras is a natural stopping point, but you can also transition it into a simple spring tree.
Mardi Gras Tree Gallery
We absolutely LOVE looking at these Mardi Gras tree creations! No AI images here, y’all. These are real styled trees from creators, and they are full of color, texture, and serious Carnival energy.
This gallery is the best place to spot what you like before you start decorating. Some trees go glam, some go playful, some look like a parade exploded in the best way. Scroll, screenshot your favorites, and then build your own version with what you already have.
All creators are credited, and their Instagram page is linked to each picture, so please do check out their pages to see their other work too!
Disclaimer: Affiliate links are included for convenience and ease of reference. If used for purchase, they will result in a small commission at no extra cost to the buyer.
Where Can I Find the Best Trees for a Mardi Gras Tree?
We know we have already linked our tree storefront, but we also loved looking at all the different types of trees that people use.
From full to skinny, natural green color, to flocked with white, or all white, plus a small trees too, we were so inspired by all of them! We will add a few here to make it easy for you to find if you liked them too.
Slowestuff Storefront
If you want the easiest route: grab one bold ribbon, one bead strand pack, and 12–24 ornaments in purple/green/gold.
Quick link to our entire storefront if you want to do a little browsing!
Find all the items featured on The Slowestuff's Blog posts all in one convenient location!
20 Gorgeous Mardi Gras Tree Ideas For You To Keep Your Tree Up!
I hope this post gave you a ton of inspiration to decorate a Mardi Gras tree this year, even if you have never celebrated Mardi Gras before.
Please definitely tag us with your creations! We would love to see them!
Looking for more seasonal inspiration? Check out our Mardi Gras section of the blog to find lots of great idea and inspo.
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⚜️🎭 Happy Mardi Gras, and Laissez les bon temps rouler!! 💜💚💛
Slowestuff
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