A day that combines a delightful sense of celebration and fun with some deep and meaningful components, Pancake Day is observed on the day before Ash Wednesday and is associated with some other names, such as Shrove Tuesday (in the UK), Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday.
The Day has its roots in its association with Ash Wednesday, which is celebrated as the first day of Lent, a religious season of fasting that is observed by people of the Christian faith prior to Easter. Traditionally a day of confession in the church, Pancake Day developed out of the practical need to use up all of the remaining eggs, butter, milk or other animal products that were in the house before Lent began. So families began to look for what they could make quickly and easily that would use up these ingredients. And, at least in England and Ireland, the result turned into a day to make–and, of course, eat–copious numbers of pancakes!
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