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A Slip of Time Turns Timeless

Today, mainly in the U.K., is Pancake Day. For Christians, today is Shrove Tuesday. For party animals today is Mardi Gras. For party animals who are anti-French, today is Fat Tuesday. Traditionally, on this day everyone is suppose to confess and repent of their sins. After which, the 40 days of fasting before Easter -Jesus’ resurrection- begins. Since fasting consisted of eliminating meat, dairy, fish, and fatty foods from your diet, ‘Fat Tuesday’ came about -or Pancake Day- to feast and use those fatty foods before they expired.  

Apparently, back in the 1400’s a woman was cooking pancakes when she lost track of time and the church bells began to ring for service. She was in the heat of the moment and ran out of her house, apron, spatula, and frying pan with pancake, to the church. Ever since, there have been pancake races throughout the U.K. with the tradition moving to the U.S. -and possibly other parts of the world, later.

What I enjoy about the history of Pancake Day: With most of England being Agnostic or Atheist, they’ve managed to take, what is supposed to be, a religious holiday and turned it into a mini Thanksgiving. What I enjoy about Thanksgiving is it is one of the few non-religious holidays legitimately celebrated in the U.S..

Traditions taken with a twist can be a good thing -even if it comes from a religious person with good intentions.