# Beads

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beads/90032>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [October 28, 2001, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beads/90032 "2001-10-28T00:44:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![MMMason](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@MMMason](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MMMason)\
**Post date:** [October 28, 2001, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beads/90032/1 "2001-10-28T00:44:04Z")

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While driving around I seem to notice a decent number of cars with beads hanging from the rear view mirror. What does this mean? The only beads that I know about are earned in New Orleans during Mardi Gras by showing their taa-taas. Is this true for everyone who hangs them showing that they were in New Orleans? Is this becoming popular? Wouldn’t a picture of them topless be better to prove that they were there?

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**Author:** ![beegirl13](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/848f3c/32.png) [@beegirl13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beegirl13)\
**Post date:** [October 28, 2001, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beads/90032/2 "2001-10-28T00:48:46Z")

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I’ve noticed this too. But I don’t think that flashing people at Mardi Gras is the only way to get these beads. I know of some Mardi Gras stores where you can buy them year-round for party favors and things. I have a whole jar of them sitting on my desk and I have never been to New Orleans at all.

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**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\
**Post date:** [October 28, 2001, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beads/90032/3 "2001-10-28T00:49:16Z")

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They are often rosary beads. For reasons unclear to me, some people hang their rosary beads from the rearview mirror. While the rosary is a meditative prayer, sometimes people feel that the beads themselves confer some sort of special protection… asking God to place their car, perhaps, on His special list of cars not to be damaged in accidents.

I really don’t know.

- Rick

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**Author:** ![ski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@ski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ski)\
**Post date:** [October 28, 2001, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beads/90032/4 "2001-10-28T03:57:32Z")

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**beegirl** is correct. Flashing at Mardi Gras is not the only way to earn these beads. No, there are MANY other things you can do at Mardi Gras to earn the beads! (Some earn more beads than others, of course.)

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**Author:** ![Gozu\_Tashoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7993a0/32.png) [@Gozu\_Tashoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu_Tashoya)\
**Post date:** [October 28, 2001, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beads/90032/5 "2001-10-28T13:56:00Z")

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Mental note: Buy Mardi Gras beads to trade at MG…

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**Author:** ![MMMason](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@MMMason](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MMMason)\
**Post date:** [October 29, 2001, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beads/90032/6 "2001-10-29T00:28:13Z")

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So I guess my question is

> [@](#):
>
> Did all those women flash their boobies?

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**Author:** ![ski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@ski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ski)\
**Post date:** [October 29, 2001, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beads/90032/7 "2001-10-29T02:39:07Z")

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If not, they should have. 😃