Get ready with your eggs, butter, sugar, and lemon juice because Pancake Day is here! In 2024, Pancake Day, also known as Shrove Tuesday, will fall on Tuesday, 13 February, around a week earlier than last year.
Whether you prefer crepe-style pancakes or the fluffy variations typically found in Scotland and the US, Pancake Day is an annual celebration enjoyed by many worldwide in the lead-up to the Christian festival of Easter. From its religious significance to delicious recipes, here's everything you need to know about Pancake Day:
What is Pancake Day and when is it celebrated?
Shrove Tuesday, also known as Pancake Day, is celebrated the day before Ash Wednesday, which marks the first day of the Christian observance of Lent, a 40-day period of abstinence before Easter. As Ash Wednesday is the last day to enjoy richer foods before Lent, it became tradition to eat pancakes to use up ingredients that wouldn't be allowed during Lent, hence the name Pancake Day.
Pancake Day always falls 47 days before Easter Sunday, so its date on the Gregorian calendar varies. Last year, it was on Tuesday, 21 February. The term "Shrove Tuesday" comes from Anglo-Saxon Christians confessing their sins before Lent, and thus being “shriven” of them.
In some countries like France, Germany, and the United States, the day before Lent is celebrated as Mardi Gras, or "Fat Tuesday" in French, with extravagant parades and Carnival activities.
How did Pancake Day start?
Eating pancakes to mark the beginning of Lent has been a tradition in Britain since the 16th century because ingredients like eggs, butter, and fat would be banned during Lent. Some parishes would ring the “Pancake Bell” at noon as a signal for people to start frying their pancakes, a tradition that continues in some places today.
The practice of marking the beginning of Lent before Ash Wednesday has been around much longer, with Christians confessing their sins in the week preceding Lent.
How is Pancake Day celebrated?
The main focus of Pancake Day for many is enjoying pancakes. Some also participate in pancake racing, a tradition that originated in 1445 when a woman ran to church with her frying pan and pancake after losing track of time while making them. In the UK, some also celebrate with “mob football” matches, a traditional game of football played on public roads.
Pancake recipes to try:
From simple crepes with sugar and lemon juice to fluffy pancakes with chocolate spread and banana, there are endless creative pancake recipes to try on Pancake Day.
mardi gras
bubonic plague
carl's jr free burger
national pancake day
pancake day
ihop free pancakes
national pancake day 2024
ihop pancake day
pancake day 2024
ihop free pancakes 2024
when is national pancake day
ihop national pancake day 2024
national pancake day 2024 ihop
free pancake day
ihop national pancake day
free pancakes ihop
when is national pancake day in 2024