Song of the Day - 4th March

Today is Shrove Tuesday, also known as Pancake Day or Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) in different parts of the world.

The general impression I get from social media is that non-UK folk are bemused by our calling it Pancake Day, especially in countries where they frequently eat pancakes on any day they choose.

Shrove Tuesday is the final day before Lenten begins on Ash Wednesday. During the season of Lent, Christians have historically abstained from rich foods such as meat, eggs, dairy products, and alcohol. Shrove Tuesday provides Christians with the opportunity to use up these foods prior to the start of the 40-day fasting season of Lent.

The tradition of making pancakes on Shrove Tuesday, as well as that of pancake races, owes itself to this practice of "using up the surplus eggs, milk and butter" prior to Lent. As such, it is traditional in many societies to eat pancakes or other foods made with the butter, eggs and fat or lard that would need to be used up before the beginning of Lent. Similar foods are fasnachts and pączki. The specific custom of British Christians eating pancakes on Shrove Tuesday dates to the 16th century.

This evening I shall be having my pancakes with home-made Biscoff Cheesecake Ice-cream!! 

I had some trouble finding a public domain poem celebrating Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Day, so I ended up writing my own!

Get the music for this song for free - find out how here.

Shrove Tuesday

By Julie Reilly

Upon a day in Lenten season's dawn,

When winter's grip still held the land in thrall,

Came Shrove Tuesday, with pancakes to be drawn,

And merriment to banish winter's pall.

In every home, the griddles were made hot,

And batter mixed with sugar, spice, and egg,

As children danced and sang, and filled the pot,

With hope and joy that soon the feast would beg.

The bells did toll, as people made their way,

To churches grand and humble, all around,

And priests did bless the palms, this holy day,

And humble offerings placed upon the ground.

The throng did then return, with joy and cheer,

To homes and halls, to eat and drink their fill,

With sweetened treats and ale, to all draw near,

And share the bounty, warm and lovely still.

Thus did Shrove Tuesday bring a welcome break,

From Lenten fasts and sombre days ahead,

A time to feast and laugh, for goodness' sake,

And put aside the worries of the dead.