Halloween decorations come out in September, Christmas fanatics can barely wait for Thanksgiving to turn on the lights and the time to start thinking about Mardi Gras is … now?

Okay, maybe not quite. But Carnival will hit early in 2026. Fat Tuesday falls on Feb. 17, which means downtown Mobile’s first parade , featuring the Conde Cavaliers, will roll on Jan. 30. Southwest Alabama’s first major parade, the Krewe de la Dauphine on Dauphin Island, traditionally rolls two weeks earlier – so that’ll fall on Jan. 17, a date when many of us still haven’t gotten around to returning ill-fitting Christmas gifts.

What in the name of Slacabamarinoco is going on here?

Blame the moon.

A date for Easter wasn’t standardized until the Council of Nicaea in the year 325. That committee’s ruling was

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