Carnival Is Over... Now What?

If you are like me you have your Post Carnival Relief Mix from DJ Private Ryan on repeat and have made it the soundtrack to your life as your tan and memories of Carnival 2011 fade. So, now that Carnival is over now what? How do you fill the void between now and another Carnival?

Sort out your Carnival Bag/Box/Drawer - I have to admit I am yet to do this as yet but it is a project for this weekend I swear! Over the years I have accumulated lots of Carnival supplies that I have stored in a huge bag. glitter, mangatac, hot glue, beads, feathers, trim, fletch dry powder, extra pairs of stockings, boy shorts.. you name it I probably have it in that bag. At the moment I dumped everything that I used for Carnival in there without sorting the contents and that also includes most of the stuff I received in my Goody Bag and stuff that I wore on Monday as well. I like taking stock of everything I have on hand so in future I will know what I don't need to buy. So if you have all your Carnival supplies lying all over the house, make a dedicated area just for all the "Carnival Stuff" that you may use again next year.

Clean and Pack Away Your Boots/Footwear - If you are like me one pair of boots is probably still riding around in the back of your trunk, call me a procrastinator but you see the trend; I do not want to start storing away anything that has to do with Carnival! It's not like I will be wearing these  boots again, maybe not even next year, but they do need to be cleaned and boxed with silica gel. Go get to yours too! 

Budget and Savings - We have roughly  10 more paychecks to Carnival 2012 and 4 more paychecks before you have to make a deposit on your costume as band launching season starts. Most of us need to allocate funds for airfare, hotel, costume deposit and fetes , so this is the time to do a monthly budget and savings plan. If you choose to join a sou sou, direct deposit into a Carnival account or  even set up a standing order get cracking! Think about it, if you save just $500.00 a month for the next 10 months that is $5000.00 in your Carnival fund.

Book Your Accommodation -  hotels are already taking online bookings for Carnival 2012, you may want to make an early reservation (check the cancellation policy) to secure your dates. I know for a fact that persons who stayed at Guest Houses, Apartments and Bread and Breakfast places have already re booked for 2012, those go FAST! 

Secure Carnival Services - Had your makeup done and were pleased? Loved how your boots were decorated? Need a customized costume service? How about sending  a short but sweet Thank You email to the person whose services you used and at the same time reserve your space for next year. 

Don't Fall Off The Diet and Fitness Train - For the past few months not one scrap of white bread or sugared drink passed your lips and a gym cycle was part of your daily routine as you were committed to losing weight for Carnival . Now, a few weeks POST Carnival and you have practically inhaled bowls of pasta and your gym membership has lapsed. Ok, we all had a few weeks to pig out on all the stuff that we deprived ourselves of over the last few months, believe me I know, and sure you may have gained a few pounds back. BUT set a figure that you are not going to cross on the scale, start back eating healthy and get some exercise in there as well. And yes you are allowed one "cheat day" a week! 

Countdown to Band Launch - I don't think anything cures the Carnival blues more than the anticipation for Band Launching Season to kick off! This year D Krewe seems to be the fore runner as their launch is scheduled for June, 2011. We can also count on TRIBE/Bliss launching the third week in July as they have done over the years and Island People launching in August. What would really make things exciting is if more bands start releasing their themes for 2012. In the meantime you can safely look forward to costumes and more costumes coming soon! 

Take Part in a Regional or International Carnival - There are Carnivals taking place globally  each month from now until November, if you need a Carnival fix take a pick ! Borough Day, St Lucia Carnival, Vincy Mas, Caribana,  Crop Over, Antigua Carnival, Spice Mas, Nottinghill Carnival, Labor  Day or Miami Carnival are just some of the more popular Carnivals that may be worth exploring.