When is pancake day

March 5, February 25, February 16, March 1, February 21, March 4, February 17, February 9, Data provided 'as is' without warranty. Dates of Pancake Day and surrounding years as downloadable image file. Excel :. When is Easter ? With the bleak prospect of 40 days of discipline looming, it was perhaps inevitable that Shrove Tuesday would become an occasion to gorge oneself and cram in as much frivolity as possible.

Other traditions have developed around Shrove Tuesday beyond excessive eating, such as the unruly, village-wide football games in the UK which date as far back the 17th century. Lent, particularly when it was adhered to more widely and strictly, marked a time to eat simpler food, and give up things like sweet, rich and dairy ingredients.

The day before the season started was therefore the ideal time to make pancakes as a means to use up leftover eggs, milk and sugar. As Pancake Day always takes place 47 days before Easter Sunday, its actual date on the Gregorian calendar can vary. In some countries, including France, Germany and the United States, the day before the start of Lent is recognised with a celebration called Mardi Gras. The tradition of eating pancakes to see in the beginning of Lent has been observed in Britain since around the 16th century.

The Encyclopedia of Traditional British Rural Sport outlines that this occurred because the ingredients that make up pancakes — namely eggs, butter and fat — would typically be banned during Lent. While pancake eating on Shrove Tuesday has been a custom for the past few centuries, the act of marking the beginning of Lent prior to Ash Wednesday has been around for far longer. 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 theLenten season, which begins on Ash Wednesday.

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