When is Pancake Day 2024? Shrove Tuesday explained, what day is it in the UK - pancakes date

Pancake Day is low-key one of the most anticipated holidays of the year. You can keep your Christmasses, your Halloweens and even your Easters, which other festivity allows you to guilt-free consume your body weight in batter-based goods?

OK, so those lesser holidays also have their own traditions of overindulgence, but they're big business events that we see coming a mile off.

Pancake Day often creeps (or should that be 'crepes'?) up on us, catching us off guard as light of hope in an otherwise dreary February.

A sure sign that spring is on the way, it's an excuse to dig out the milk, eggs and sugar - and the toppings of your choice - and inject a little deliciousness into the last month of winter.

But when exactly does it fall this year? And where does the celebration come from in the first place? Here is everything you need to know about it.

What is Pancake Day?

Pancake Day is really the more colloquial name for the traditional event that marks the day before the Christian season of Lent begins, technically known as Shrove Tuesday.

Lent is a period of 40 days (excluding Sundays) leading up to Easter, during which many Christians traditionally engage in fasting, repentance and reflection.

The history of Pancake Day is intertwined with religious practices, feasting, and a desire to prepare for Lent by using up rich and indulgent foods that were forbidden during the season.

The custom of consuming pancakes on Shrove Tuesday arose from the necessity of using up perishable ingredients like eggs, milk and sugar before the fasting season began.

Pancakes provided a delicious and efficient way to utilise these ingredients and avoid wasting them, and the simplicity of pancake recipes made them accessible to people of various economic backgrounds; thus, the tradition of making pancakes became widespread.

In addition to being a practical way to use up ingredients, pancakes held symbolic significance. The round shape of pancakes was thought to symbolise the sun and the arrival of spring, adding a touch of optimism to the occasion.

The act of flipping pancakes also became associated with the idea of discarding excess and preparing for a period of restraint.

How is it celebrated?

While Pancake Day originated within a Christian context, it has since transcended its religious roots and become a more secular celebration, and people from various backgrounds and beliefs now partake in the enjoyment of pancakes.

As the tradition evolved, communities developed their own customs and rituals to mark Pancake Day, and one notable tradition is the pancake race, which has been documented as far back as the 15th century.

Legend has it that a woman was cooking pancakes when she heard the church bell ring for the Shriving service. Realising she was late, she rushed to the church still holding her frying pan and tossing the pancake.

In modern times, Pancake Day continues to be celebrated with enthusiasm, with families and friends gathering to make and enjoy a variety of pancake recipes, from the traditional thin crepes to thicker, American-style pancakes.

When is Pancake Day in 2024?

Pancake Day falls on different dates each year as it is determined by the ecclesiastical calendar. But in 2024, Pancake Day falls on Tuesday 13 February.

The date of Pancake Day is determined by its relationship to the date of Easter, which occurs on the first Sunday following the first full moon after the vernal equinox. Based on this, the date of Shrove Tuesday is then calculated as 47 days before Easter.