Page 28 - 2021 Almanac

16th February Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day)
Shrove Tuesday gets its name from the ancient Christian practice
of being 'shriven', which means being forgiven for things you’ve done wrong. It was traditional to tell a priest about anything bad you had done to get it out of the way before Lent, the season of fasting. Then, during the fast, you could concentrate on asking for forgiveness and promising to live a better life. On Shrove Tuesday, people used up eggs and fatty foods because during Lent they were not allowed to eat these things. One of the best ways of using up eggs and fat is to make pancakes, and a lot of people still do this today. That is why we also call this day Pancake Day.
17th February Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent. After all the pancake-eating and feasting, it is a quieter, more serious day. Christians spend the time thinking about how to live a better life and looking forward to Easter. Some people go to church and the priest or vicar draws a cross on their foreheads in ash. This is to remember that Jesus died on the cross to save them from the things they had done wrong.
26th February Purim
Purim begins on the evening of 25th and ends on the evening of 26th March. It is a Jewish holiday during which Jewish people remember that long ago their people were saved from Haman, a cruel man who worked for the King of Persia. At Purim, people have a big feast and send money and gifts of food to people in need. It is a time to think of others and be thankful for a good life.
26