May this be the happiest Mardi Gras

Hear the crescendo? That’s the approach of Mardi Gras, the climax of the Carnival season.

Seven parades will roll. A truckload of beads will hit the streets. A thousand squeals of delight will be heard. New friendships will be made. Old ones will be solidified.

At 11:30 a.m. Sunday is the St. Paul Carnival Association Parade in Pass Christian, followed at 1:30 p.m. by the North Bay Area Mardi Gras Association in D’Iberville. Monday is the Mystic Krewe of the Seahorse at 5 p.m in Bay St. Louis.

Four parades are scheduled for Fat Tuesday. The Krewe of Diamonds in Bay St. Louis and the Gulf Coast Carnival Association in Biloxi both start at 1 p.m. Then the Krewe of Gemini night parade in Gulfport at 5 and the Wiggins-Stone County parade at 6.

And if everyone makes it home safe and sound, our wishes will have come true Tuesday night.

And if each of us exercises a little common sense, everyone will make it home safe and sound.

Jeff Clark has a handy list of things not to bring to Mardi Gras. Find it at SunHerald.com. We suggest we all heed his advice.

Tailgate if that’s your thing. Whoop and holler if the spirit moves you.

If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation.

And watch out for the little ones. They’ll be all around, under our feet, jumping for beads. Make sure they get plenty. And plenty of toys, too.

All it takes is a little consideration for those around you. No one wants to be around the fellow who’s had too much to drink, who has a loud and vulgar mouth. Don’t let that be you.

Be the one whom a child remembers for handing her a stuffed toy. The one a parent remembers for gently guiding their little boy out of harm’s way. The one with the unforgettable smile and laughter.

Because that’s what it’s all about.

Letting the good times roll.

This story was originally published February 26, 2017 at 5:00 AM with the headline "May this be the happiest Mardi Gras."