Family Pancake Night

Thank you to everyone who joined us on Tuesday to celebrate Shrove Tuesday with our annual Family Pancake Night. 

Shrove Tuesday

The time of preparation before Easter is called Lent. The day before Lent begins is called Shrove Tuesday. 'Shrove' means being forgiven for wrong-doings. It happens on a different date each year depending on when Easter is. 

Another name for Shrove Tuesday is Pancake Day. Long ago this was a day for feasting and having a good time. People would go to church to confess the bad things they had done and would be 'shriven' or forgiven before the start of Lent. Since rich foods such as eggs were forbidden during Lent, one way of using them up would be to make pancakes. 

Many people still make pancakes on Shrove Tuesday and in some parts of the world people run in pancake races. This custom grew up because of the legend which dates from well over 500 years ago in 1445. On Shrove Tuesday one woman was still making her pancakes as the church bells rang out. Rather than be late she took her frying pan and pancake with her. 

One of the most famous pancake races is held in Olney, Buckinghamshire. The race has been held for hundreds of years. Competitors need to be women over 18 years of age who must wear a skirt, an apron and head covering. They have to toss their pancake on the start line and again at the finish to prove they haven't lost it. In France and the United States Pancake day is called Mardi Gras which means 'Fat' or 'Grease Tuesday'. 

Our Family Pancake Night was lots of fun with plenty of pancakes, some crafty frying pans pancake races and games!