At same time that, in some parts of the Earth, people are celebrating Carnival having fun on the street, wearing masks, dancing and making silly things. There are other parts where what people want is having pancakes all day! Why?
Pancake Day also known as Shrove Tuesday is the day preceding Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Shrove Tuesday, a movable feast, is determined by Easter. It's the day for making a self-examination, considering what wrongs they need to repent. It's also the last day before the penitential season of Lent. The term Mardi Gras is French for Fat Tuesday, referring to the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season, which begins on Ash Wednesday. Eating pancakes, as tradition in the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, devolved from using eggs and butter on the pancake recipe, ingredients that were forbidden during the fast. There are other traditions on this Tuesday-before-the-day-of-the-Lent but, as I can't play Carnival in my home country, Portugal, I will have my Pancake Day in the UK.
