Pancake Day takes place today, Tuesday, February 21, but what is the meaning and origins of Shrove Tuesday?
Some people adore pancakes as sweet as can be, with lashings of Nutella, strawberries and maple syrup. Others opt for a simple version with lemon and sugar, while some go for a savoury variety, with toppings like cheese or ham.
Known in the religious calendar as Shrove Tuesday, Pancake Day is a traditional feasting day ahead of Lent, which is why we've come to celebrate it by tucking into pancakes.
POLL: What do you put on your pancakes?
The idea is to use up all the rich, fatty foods, such as eggs, flour, salt and milk as a treat, before giving something up for the next 40 days of Lent. This mirrors Jesus Christ’s sacrifice of walking through the desert for this period of time. The white of the milk symbolises purity, flour represents life, wholesomeness is captured in the salt and creation is shown by using eggs.
Origins of Pancake Day
Shrove Tuesday goes back to Anglo-Saxon times when Christians would attend confession and a priest would absolve or forgive them of their sins and they would therefore be "shriven". A ringing bell, known as the pancake bell, would alert Christians that confession was due to take place.
Why does Pancake Day change date?
The date of Pancake Day, Shrove Tuesday changes each year, as it is determined by when Easter falls. It always takes place in February or March and it is the day before Ash Wednesday.
Pancake Day puns and jokes
See if you can make someone laugh with one of these cheesy Pancake Day jokes:
“My dad always makes the pancakes too thin… I shouldn’t have to put up with this crêpe.”
“I tried to break the ice at a party the other night with a pancake joke, but it fell flat.”
“I went to a pancake restaurant and asked if my dinner would be long. The waiter replied: ‘No, sir, round.”
“I can’t believe it’s Pancake Day, it’s really crêped up on us…”
“What do you call a pancake after it does sit-ups? A Waffle.”
“When the little boy was making pancakes why did the batter run away? Because it said crack two eggs then beat it!”
