There is no word on whether IHOP has asked the Vatican to shift the timing of Lent.
As
mentioned previously, today is not only Super Tuesday, but also Fat Tuesday, otherwise known as Mardi Gras, Shrove Tuesday, or...
International Pancake Day. IHOP is not a happy camper that the biggest payday in its calendar (when it admittedly not only gives away free pancakes but raises money for charity in the process) has to compete with our pesky American democracy. As they say in their press release:
“Super Tuesday, set for February 5, 2008, encroaches upon the centuries-old celebration of Pancake Day, traditionally held the Tuesday preceding Lent to rid iceboxes of forbidden dairy products.”
So it decided to thumb its nose at the Catholics and declare next Tuesday "
National Pancake Day," even though it's during Lent, which defeats the entire purpose.
Except for those whose religion's highest priority is the consumption of free pancakes.
posted by ericbop
on Feb 5, 2008 -
77 comments
Say goodbye to winter and welcome spring with a Russian-style Mardis Gras celebration of
Maslenitsa-Pancake Day.
Maslenitsa is an ancient
pagan weeklong
Slavic holiday held before the beginning of the Christian season of Lent. Pancakes, the traditional food eaten during this time, are round and hot, representing the sun. "Fat is the key word for Maslenitsa," said Valentina Bakhtina. It is a sort of Mardi Gras without the costumes and with a lot of butter. The central thing is to drink, be merry, and eat - pancakes and more pancakes.
posted by stbalbach
on Mar 4, 2003 -
4 comments
It's finally here. You're certainly familiar with the festivals in New Orleans and Rio, but what about
Haiti,
Germany, and
Watertown, Tennesee? Also called
Shrove Tuesday, Mardi Gras has ancient
origins with links back to
Lupercalia and other pre-Christian celebrations. Carnival translates as "farewell to the flesh," which speaks to the surrender of beloved things during the season of
Lent.
So, what will you do for
beads, babe?
posted by moonbird
on Mar 4, 2003 -
9 comments
It's Carnival Time! New Orleans Mardi Gras celebrations are steeped in
tradition. From
beads and
king cakes to
invitation-only balls, carnival has been a part of the city's history since the French held private masked balls and parties in 1718. Although Spanish rule interrupted the party for 90 years, many of the
krewes have been around since the 1800s. Today, parade floats are considered an art form and some krewes
spend up to $700,000 on a single float. With such excess abounding, consider yourself
warned.
posted by ajr
on Feb 27, 2003 -
15 comments
It's not a "sit-in" but it rhymes with it.
"Caroline Estes is organizing a mass protest of a new Austin police policy to ticket women who flash their breasts at the upcoming Mardi Gras celebration on Sixth Street."
posted by mr_crash_davis
on Feb 7, 2002 -
46 comments
Mardi Gras riots are a disturbing trend as almost every celebration these days turns bad. What's different that these things happen? My personal experience in Seattle inside (because it's a self-link)
posted by john
on Feb 28, 2001 -
17 comments
