It's Pancake Day!

We have taken up haveing Pancakes on Shrove Tuesday, Pancake Tuesday. We don't really follow the fasting of Lent. But we like to eat Pancakes and talk about Lent. I am sure as the kids grow more in depth talks about Lent will come. We also typically have pączki, which is a Polish tradition. We typically do this just because Kroger has them and it's neat to experience things that other country eat and do. So The Ruggles family is having pancakes tonight. Next year, when my home isn't in redecoration mode we will have friends over to enjoy pancakes with us.

Shrove Tuesday (also known as Pancake Day) is the day preceding Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Shrove Tuesday is observed in English-speaking countries, especially in Ireland, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, Germany and parts of the United States. Shrove Tuesday is linked to Easter therefore its date changes on an annual basis.
In most traditions the day is known for the eating of pancakes before the start of lent. Pancakes are eaten as they are made out of the main foods available, sugar, fat, flour and eggs, whose consumption was traditionally restricted during the ritual fasting associated with Lent.

Terminology:

~In the United Kingdom and Ireland, Shrove Tuesday is commonly known as Pancake Tuesday or Pancake Day.

~Catholic and Protestant countries traditionally call the day before Ash Wednesday Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras. The name predated the Reformation and referred to the common Christian tradition of eating special rich foods before the fasting season of Lent.

~In Ireland, it is known as Máirt Inide (meaning, in Irish, Shrovetide Tuesday), and Pancake Tuesday.

~For German American populations, such as Pennsylvania Dutch Country, it is known as Fastnacht Day (also spelled Fasnacht, Fausnacht, Fauschnaut, or Fosnacht).

~In Portuguese-, Spanish- and Italian-speaking countries, amongst others, it is known as Carnival (under the English-language spelling) and is often celebrated with street processions and/or fancy dress. The most famous of these events is the Brazilian Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, while the Venetians celebrate carnival with a masquerade. The use of the term 'carnival' in other contexts derives from here.

~In Iceland the day is known as Sprengidagur (Bursting Day) and is marked by eating salted meat and peas.

~In Lithuania the day is called Užgavėnės. People eat pancakes (blynai) and Lithuanian-style doughnuts called spurges.

~In heavily Polish Catholic areas of the United States, such as Chicago and the Detroit suburb of Hamtramck, Michigan, Pączki Day is celebrated with pączki-eating contests, music and other Polish food.

~However, in Poland this celebration falls on the Thursday which precedes Ash Wednesday and is called Fat Thursday.

Traditions

Pancakes are associated with the day preceding Lent because they were a way to use up rich foodstuffs such as eggs, milk, and sugar, before the fasting season of the 40 days of Lent. The liturgical fasting emphasized eating plainer food and refraining from food that would give pleasure: In many cultures, this means no meat, dairy, or eggs.

In Canada, among Anglicans, Lutherans, some other Protestant denominations, including ethnic British communities, as well as Catholics, this day is also known as Pancake Tuesday, as it is customary to eat pancakes.

In Newfoundland and Labrador small tokens are frequently cooked in the pancakes. Children take delight in discovering the objects, which are intended to be divinatory. For example, the person who receives a coin will be wealthy; a nail that they will be (or marry) a carpenter, and such.

I found this info on Wikipedia and you can read more about Shrove Tuesday here.