Blimey, that came round quick didn’t it! Tuesday is pancake day; apart from Christmas it’s the only other day in the calendar where we’re all obliged to stuff ourselves!

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Otherwise known as Shrove Tuesday, pancake day is, in theory, a religious day, although just like Christmas, it is celebrated widely across the country and not just with those who are religious. Pancake Day 2016 is quite early this year but that’s because Easter is also early. Pancake Day is exactly 40 days before Easter Sunday, and traditionally it was the last day of gorging and consumption before the fasting of Lent.

Some suggest that Pancake Day was originally a Pagan festival and feast, that was taken over by the religious calendar. The Pagan’s believed that this time of year the gods of Winter and Spring engaged in battle, and so the people made and offered the god of Spring gifts to help him win. The gifts were small round cakes made of flour, egg and milk that were meant to symbolise the sun.

So, how will you eat yours tomorrow? Sweet? Savoury? For dinner? For pudding? Are you an old traditional who likes a sprinkle of sugar and a squeeze of lemon? Or do you prefer yours smothered in a rich chocolate spread (hands up!)?

And what about the bizarre tradition of a pancake race? This funny sporting event was said to come about in the 15th century when a lady was so busy making pancakes for her family that she forgot what time it was and was late for church. She ran out of the house with her frying pan and pancake still in it, tossing it as she went so that it wouldn’t burn! And to this day, the crazy tradition continues….. Hope you’ve got your winning frying pan ready for Tuesday.

Well, however you choose to eat yours, we hope you have a very happy and healthy and plentiful Pancake Day 2016. And that you’re ready for the 40 days of abstinence and fasting that will follow… haha! Happy Pancake Day!

Did you know…….. The name Shrove Tuesday comes from the word “shrive”, which means to “absolve”…..

Image by Wong Mei Teng on freeimages.com