Regardless of where you are located on the globe, you can throw an authentic New Orleans style Mardi Gras party. To make your event both festive and in keeping with the long-established traditions of Mardi Gras, simply ensure you include these seven elements:

1. Traditional Colors
The official colors of Mardi Gras are purple, gold and green. Purple represents justice, gold is power, and green stands for faith.

2. Cajun and Creole Food
If you have a good food budget for your event and want to serve buffet-style or sit-down meals, go for the flavors and cuisines everyone associates with Cajun and Creole cooking: jambalaya, etouffee, gumbo, po-boy sandwiches, muffaletta sandwiches, crawfish, shrimp, and beignets. If your budget is small or you don't want formality, go for the street vendor foods: hot dogs, chicken on a stick, funnel cakes, and anything you might see served by a street cart. Moon pies are also often tossed from floats along with the colorful beads revelers scramble to catch.

3. Beverages
Hurricane cocktail mix may be bought online or through liquor stores. Very much like a red punch and served in giant hurricane-style glasses, these drinks pack a major punch of their own through inclusion of three types of rum. For coffee, go for authentic chicory coffee from a New Orleans coffee company.

4. Beads and Dubloons
Perhaps the best known of Mardi Gras traditions is that of vying for beads from passing parade floats or wrought iron balconies. Add to the beads a collection of gold foil wrapped chocolate coins or metal "pirate" coins, and your guests will have plenty to gain by showing off.

5. Masks
Whether worn or used for decoration, masks with sequins, feathers, and intricate designs are fun conversation starters for guests and add a special flair to your event.

6. King Cake
King Cakes are the dessert of Mardi Gras. They are based upon a special cinnamon bread style recipe and cooked in a braided ring before being decorated with white icing and purple, gold, and green sprinkles or designs. Inside the cake is a plastic or porcelain baby that one lucky guest will find. The baby represents the Christ child and the person who finds it in their slice is supposed to throw the next year's event.

7. Music
Of course, New Orleans is known for its jazz, zydeco, and upbeat tempo music. Add to the traditional tunes a mix of music from well-known singers from the city (such as Harry Connick, Jr), and there will be plenty of dancing amongst your guests.