THE HISTORY OF PANCAKES

To start with, we need to learn about Lent first, in order to understand Pancake Day.  Lent is the period of 40 days (not including Sundays) which comes before Easter.  Lent begins the day after Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day) on Ash Wednesday.

So what’s Lent?  It’s a time of thinking about your life with God, saying sorry for wrong things and getting ready for Easter - when we remember the death of Jesus Christ and celebrate his resurrection (rising from the dead).  Christians traditionally ‘fast’ as a sign of their commitment to God.

During Lent there are some foods that some Christians do not eat (‘fasting’) e.g. meat, fats, eggs, or milky foods.  Or, alternatively, chocolate or crisps.  Remember, it’s not a diet plan, but a time of getting right with God trusting in Jesus Christ who died for your sins and rose again to secure your forgiveness.

In ancient times, so that no food was wasted before Lent, families would have a feast and eat up all the foods that would go off during Lent.  So Shrove Tuesday is the last chance to indulge yourself, and use up the foods that you are fastig from during Lent.

Pancakes became associated with Shrove Tuesday as they were a dish that could use up all the eggs, fats and milk in the house with just the addition of flour.  Voila! – a Pancake!

One last thought – why 40 days?  It’s an important number in the Bible.  That’s your Lent challenge – find out about all the significant events in the Bible that involved 40 days or 40 years.

HAVE  YOU THOUGHT ABOUT GIVING SOMETHING UP FOR LENT AS A SIGN OF COMMITTING YOUR LIFE TO GOD?