Why do people make pancakes on Shrove Tuesday?

This week kicks off the period leading up to the Christian Easter celebrations. 

But while Easter is typically associated with hot cross buns and chocolate eggs, there’s another sweet treat to indulge in: pancakes. 

Here’s what the buttery breakfast dish has to do with the Christian holiday. 

When is Shrove Tuesday?

This Tuesday, which is March 4.

What is Shrove Tuesday?

It’s the day before the start of Lent, which is a 40-day period of austerity before Easter. 

The specific traditions of Lent vary across the Christian denominations, but it’s generally a time of fasting, abstinence and repentance.

So the day before is the last chance for frivolity and indulgence. 

There are other names for this day; some people just call it “pancake day”, while others use the term “Mardi Gras”.

The French translation for Mardi Gras is “fat Tuesday”.

Why do people have pancakes on Shrove Tuesday?

The tradition was born out of followers trying to use up all their fats and eggs before Lent.

And eggs and fats like butter are key ingredients for an indulgent batch of pancakes.

The custom dates back hundreds of years, starting sometime between AD 1100 and AD 1400, food historian Lauren Samuelson told ABC Central West NSW.

“It was a tradition that was taken up in Britain and also other parts of Western Europe,” she said. 

“Traditionally Shrove Tuesday … was a day of celebration and a day to use up all the good things to eat before you went into a period of Lenten fasting where you weren’t allowed all of the good things like fat and meat and milk.”

Making pancakes on the day before Lent is more of a cultural tradition than a religious celebration. 

Why is it called ‘Shrove Tuesday’?

The word ‘shrove’ is the past tense for the word ‘shrive’. 

Shrive is an old word that means to confess, with the Macquarie Dictionary listing the one of several definitions as:

“to confess to a priest, for the purpose of obtaining absolution”

In Britain, the few days before Lent was called “Shrovetide” and, as food historian Sam Bilton explains on the English Heritage website, it was a time when all “edible temptations” had to be removed. 

“The Monday and Tuesday before Lent were periods of great festivity before the coming days of abstinence,” the website says. 

“Children would go ‘Shroving’ or ‘Lent-crocking’ on Shrove Tuesday or the night before, knocking on their neighbours’ doors and singing [songs asking for pancakes, bacon or cheese].

“Sometimes they would bring shards of crockery or stones with them to throw at householders who refused to give them anything.”

When is Ash Wednesday?

Many Christian denominations will observe Ash Wednesday in two days.  

What is Ash Wednesday?

For most Christian denominations, Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent — and therefore the beginning of a solemn time for followers. 

Many devout Christian followers will attend religious services, where church leaders will draw a cross on their forehead in ash. 

Tradition calls for the ash to be created by the burning of palm leaves used in Easter celebrations the year before. 

When does Lent start?

For many Christian denominations, Lent begins in two days.

And Lent goes right through until Easter.

But some Christian denominations mark the Easter period on different dates, and therefore their Lent dates are different. 

When is Easter in 2025? 

Easter is in mid–April this year — but, again, we’re going to use the caveat about this being the case for most Christian denominations. 

The Christian Bible tells the story of Jesus being persecuted by the Roman rulers at the time and sentenced to death by crucifixion — which coincided with the Jewish Passover celebration at the time. 

According to the Christian Bible, Jesus was welcomed into the city of Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, was crucified on Good Friday and rose from the dead on Easter Sunday.

For most Christian denominations, the main holidays for 2025 are as follows:

• April 13: Palm Sunday
• April 18: Good Friday
• April 19: Holy Saturday
• April 20: Easter Sunday

When are the Easter public holidays?

They’re in mid-April this year.  

Australia’s public holidays are mostly denominational, but some are based on Christian religions. 

Generally, we get a long weekend over Easter, but the public holiday dates vary slightly depending on which state or territory you’re in. 

Most of the country has four days off, but there are less public holidays in Western Australia and Tasmania. 

ACT, NSW, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria 

• April 18: Good Friday
• April 19: Easter Saturday (also known as “The day after Good Friday”)
• April 20: Easter Sunday
• April 21: Easter Monday

Western Australia:

• April 18: Good Friday
• April 20: Easter Sunday
• April 21: Easter Monday

Tasmania:

• April 18: Good Friday
• April 21: Easter Monday

Tasmania has a day called Easter Tuesday on April 22, but the Fair Work Ombudsman website says that’s generally just for the state’s public service workers. 

Source: Fair Work Ombudsman

When does Daylight Saving time end?

Before Easter. 

Daylight Saving time — which is observed in the ACT, NSW, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria — ends on Sunday, April 6.