While many conflate Fat Tuesday with Mardi Gras, this day of gluttonous joy isn’t just a French tradition. Many cultures around the world celebrate Fat Tuesday in a host of ways. One common theme, of course, is the mass intake of delicious and less-than-healthy food. Suffice it to say, people all over the world look forward to Fat Tuesday as a day of decadence and indulgence.
Most folks associate Fat Tuesday as a Christian holiday, taking place the day before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent. Lent is an annual tradition where Christians give up something, usually food like meat or sugar, as a show of dedication to their religion.
But what to do with all the excess meat, sugary treats, and perhaps a little alcohol that’s around the house right before Lent? For centuries, Christians around the world would use Fat Tuesday as the day to cook up meat dishes and pastries, and go through wine stores to remove any temptations during the 40 days of Lent.
What many people might not know is that Fat Tuesday’s traditions date back prior to even Christian times. In ancient Rome, there was a festival honoring the gods Lupercalia and Saturnalia in the late winter and early spring. As Christianity grew in popularity, they gradually intertwined this festival to fit with the timing of Lent.
Now, the good stuff! In northern Michigan, everyone knows that the thing to eat is a Paczki. These donut-like treats come from eastern European countries and are filled with jelly. But what delicious treats do people around the world eat? Here’s a list to salivate over!
What are you going to indulge in this Fat Tuesday? Let us know in the comments!
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