As a Spanish expat myself, when I moved to the #Britain I had this idea that, somehow, British People were decades ahead with the typical religious traditions that still remain in Spain nowadays, especially in small towns and in specific conservative regions.
What I could not imagine is that this was not exactly true. In fact, we are not that different. We might just celebrate the traditions in our own way.
While you, British people, might be stunned with our traditional parades and the #Fallas, where we burn structures of carton and wood that took the whole year to build, we, Spaniards, are surprised with other, less elaborated yet curious festivities, and yes, I am now talking about the Pancake Day.
For you to understand our astonishment, what would you think if we had a #Paella Day? Well, we sort of do... as it's sort of a tradition for some families to eat paella on Sundays, the only day of the week when everyone can reunite and eat all together. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, eating, drinking and gossiping could be considered our national sports!
What is the #Pancake Day and what does it consist of?
Pancake day, known as well as Pancake Tuesday, or Fat Tuesday, (not without a reason!) is the day before Ash Wednesday and is celebrated mainly in the Commonwealth countries. In other countries, they celebrate the carnival instead.
This day started as a tradition in which people would consume all the fat food like pancakes, pastries and bread before the fasting period of Lent, dictated by the Catholic and Anglican religions, during which people could not consume things as eggs, considered as "pleasant".
Luckily for some, eating is not the only thing that people do on this day. Actually, short races are organised all over Britain (along with other countries that also kept this tradition) and the contestants run around the town or city dressed up in funny costumes and a pan in their hand. With a pancake, of course! And the winner would then win the best price ever in a race...
a frying pan!
In fact, this race also has a tradition, made up in the most humoristic way ever!
In 1445, a woman in Olney, a town between Northampton, Milton Keynes and Bedford, was cooking her pancakes while she could hear the church's bell. And honouring the say that only women can do multitask, she ran to the church, in her apron and with her frying pan in the hand.
What started as a funny anecdote has become a real hilarious tradition and now, all those who wish to compete must dress like a real housewife, apron and hat included! What about you? Would you dress up for a day with your best apron and run around your town with a pan in your hand?!
