Anglophile Oddities: Pancake Day Tuesday or Shrove Tuesday

I learned something new today, I learned all about Pancake Tuesday, alternately known as Pancake Day or Shrove Tuesday. In most parts of the world today is Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday, marking the day before the Catholic festival of Lent begins.

Well, leave it to the English to have their own particularly odd tradition: Pancake Day.

Just what is Pancake Tuesday? According to the BBC Website Pancake Tuesday is also known as Shrove Tuesday:

In the UK, there is a much-loved tradition of making and eating pancakes on Shrove Tuesday, which falls between February 2 and March 9 each year, depending on the date for Easter. In 2009, Shrove Tuesday falls on 24 February. Shrove Tuesday (‘shrove’ stems from old English word ‘shrive’, meaning ‘confess all sins’) is the day before Lent.

According to Christian beliefs, Lent commemorates Jesus’ 40 days in the wilderness, and observant Christians mark this period by fasting. So Shrove Tuesday was cleverly invented to use up the ingredients that were given up for Lent – milk, butter and, particularly, eggs – which may not be eaten again until Easter.

Regions all around the UK celebrate by making their own unique brands of pancakes. It’s common for many communities in the UK to hold pancake races where people are required to run and flip pancakes.

I’m not joking. Here’s a video to prove it showing last year’s race in Olney:

Here’s a funny video from ITV News where a reporter bravely tries to find London’s best Tosser.

This year, the Peers from the House of Lords even got in on the pancake action by holding a pancake race in Westminster.

Watch the video and read the article here.

You learn something new every day. I happen to love pancakes very much. So combining my love of pancakes with my love of England is only fitting. MMM feeling like pancakes for dinner.