Fat Thursday and Shrove Tuesday

The period of time after New Year's Day celebration called Carnival is almost over. There are some traditions all over the world to hold and enjoy before it fully ends, though.

Do you know how to say "tłusty czwartek" in English? Well, it's called Fat Thursday. It is the last Thursday before the Lent* starts. 

"Środa Popielcowa" is easier to translate, as it's closer to its name in Polish: it's just Ash Wednesday.

And, the day just before Ash Wednesday is called Shrove Tuesday in English and Mardi Gras in French.

On Fat Thursday we enjoy eating doughnuts in Poland as the British have Pancake Day on Shrove Tuesday (a Polish equivalent of this name is "ostatki"). 

Can you guess what they prepare and eat this very day? Well, pancakes, of course!

One funny way to celebrate Shrove Tuesday is to have a pancake race. It's held in many British towns and villages. 

Here's a short film from one particular race:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3IWsFGvZf4&ab_channel=Stratford-upon-AvonHerald

*After Shrove Tuesday, on Ash Wednesday a period of 40 days called Lent starts. It's time of prayer and fasting in Christian tradition.