Pancake Day is one of the most appetising days of the year. The event, also known as Shrove Tuesday, is an annual celebration taking place in most English-speaking countries. Traditionally, pancakes were associated with the day preceding Lent, the Christian fasting season, but nowadays is more just a chance to indulge in delicious, buttery goodness.
When is Pancake Day?
In 2019, Pancake Day will fall on March 5 – which to many seems very late in the year.
The day moves from year-to-year and can vary from as early as February 3 to as late as March 9.
The day is observed mainly in English-speaking countries, especially in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA.
Why is Pancake Day so late?
Pancake is also known as Shrove Tuesday and has been a Christian tradition for centuries.
The date is determined by Easter, as it is celebrated exactly 47 days before Easter Sunday.
The reason for this year’s Shrove Tuesday being so late is because Easter Sunday will fall on April 21 – much later than last year.
Easter can fall any time between March 22 and April 25, because its date is calculated from the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Spring equinox.
Pancake Day is followed by Ash Wednesday which marks the start of Lent, the season for fasting, and marks the 40-day countdown to Easter, according to Christian traditions.
The tradition of marking the start of Lent has been documented for centuries.
But although it has its roots in religion, nowadays people tend to use Pancake Day more as an excuse to indulge in stacks of the fluffy batter without feeling guilty.
Why do we make pancakes?
Pancakes were originally created as a way to use up rich foods before Lent started.
Eggs and sugar were often types of food people would have extras off and wanted to use up before the 40-day fast began.
When Lent started, Christians would mark the period with prayers and fasting, abstaining from a whole range of foods, including meat, eggs, fish, fats and milk.
The specific custom of British Christians eating pancakes on Shrove Tuesday dates to the 16th century.