As I’m sure you’re aware by now, today is Pancake Day - the one day of the year when we head into our kitchens and get flipping.
Yes, technically you can eat pancakes any day you fancy, but isn't it far better to instead forget about them for 364 days a year and then eat so many in a single day that you end up feeling sick of them? It is.
However, while Pancake Day - or Shrove Tuesday, if you’re religious - is common in the UK it seems our friends in the US aren’t quite as into it, with some admitting that they don’t even know what it is. Flipping ‘eck.
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Posting on Twitter, one US resident asked: “Is Pancake Day a real thing? I thought it was just something British people did once and never again.” It kind of is like this, to be fair, except we do it once annually.
Another wrote: “Just learned British people celebrate a holiday called Pancake Day.”
Someone else commented: “I gen think it’s so sad that Americans don’t do Pancake Day.”
While others were aware of the day but were surprised how into we are over here.
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“British people are, like, weirdly into Pancake Day,” one wrote. We sure are.
And another confused American added: “I didn‘t know British people cared about Pancake Day like that.” Well we do, OK?
In a thread on Reddit, one person pointed out: “Some Catholics celebrate Fat Tuesday, but Pancake Day is not really a thing in the US.”
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And someone else added: “We do [have Pancake Day], but it's not really celebrated outside pancake restaurants. It's like all the other holidays dedicated to a banal food item.
For those of you who care, Pancake Day/Shrove Tuesday/Fat Tuesday is the day before Lent kicks off - the 40 days that lead us up to Easter.
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Now I know what you’re thinking, ‘what the f**k is a shrove?’ and I’m glad you asked. The word shrove is derived from shrive and it means to confess your sins, so basically, you go and confess and then eat a load of pancakes in preparation for Lent.
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And if you’re wondering why pancakes, specifically, it’s because traditionally it was an easy way to use up eggs and fats before embarking on a fast across Lent.
Pancake Day is always 47 days before Easter Sunday, so the date isn’t fixed, but is usually between early February and early March.
Topics: UK News
Claire Reid