Pancake Day History!

Lent is the time of year when Christians prepare for Easter. Lent begins in February or March, depending on the date of Easter. The word Lent comes from an older English word meaning ‘springtime’.

In the days before Lent, Christians in some places participate in festive celebrations called carnival. The festivities end with Shrove Tuesday, or Mardi Gras (‘Fat Tuesday’), the day before Ash Wednesday. In the past, Shrove Tuesday was a day for using up foods that could not be eaten during Lent. People often made pancakes with their leftover eggs and butter. Many people today observe Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Day, by eating pancakes. Some towns even hold pancake races, in which people flip pancakes in a frying pan as they run.