Several weeks ago I ordered a special King Cake to celebrate Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras is a day of celebration (and a bit of indulgence) before the 40-day sacrificial Lent journey to Easter begins.

Tradition states that King Cake must only be eaten between Epiphany and Mardi Gras. Eating King Cake outside of these dates will bring bad luck. The bad luck in this case, superstition states, will come in the form of rain on the day of Mardi Gras.

Since it rained on Mardi Gras this year, I can only assume that someone broke the rules and ate King Cake during Lent last year.

Savages.

My kids, wife, and I had an incredible time on Mardi Gras this year as we talked about all of the images and symbolism within the King Cake. It is a rich tradition that creates an incredible opportunity to teach about Jesus, Epiphany, and Lent. I even shared with them the superstition about eating King Cake after Lent.

What I had not expected was this: The only thing my kids remembered about the whole King Cake discussion was that they couldn’t eat it the next day or it would rain on Mardi Gras next year.

They were so concerned about it that they refused to take the leftover King Cake to school as their snack the next day.

I was perplexed… and a bit annoyed!

I had put so much time into teaching the metaphors, and THE SUPERSTITION was all that they remembered!?

It was a learning experience for me.

The kids remembered the superstition because it was the most powerful part of the story. i guess that is a lesson for me on the need to make the other parts of the story just as compelling!

As for me, I ate the rest of the King Cake over the next few days myself. So, when it rains on Mardi Gras next year, you will know who to blame…