Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Last Hurrah


Shrove Tuesday, being the last day of celebration before Lent, brings with it a certain kind of excitement.  For our start, the kids were very happy to get into mask-making craft, even before breakfast, to have their happy faces on to wear for Mardi Gras (French for "Fat Tuesday" or Shrove Tuesday as it is referred to in English-speaking cultures).  Happy faces carried through to our "happy faces pancakes"  which we all enjoyed for breakfast.  At will, the kids had their masks on and off throughout the day. 

As Tradition would have it, Shrove Tuesday (from "to shrive," meaning to hear confessions) is the last celebration before Lent which begins the next day, Ash Wednesday.  On this day, people used up all their fat and meat products which were otherwise "forbidden" during Lent.  It is customary to make pancakes on Shrove Tuesday (hence the name Pancake Tuesday) because of the need to consume eggs, dairy and fat before Lent starts.




A Festive Shrove Tuesday to all!!

2 comments:

Anne (aussieannie) said...

Looks as though you all had the best Shove Tuesday, love the masks!

Cyndee said...

Thanks, Anne! We missed you on Monday. ;D