Please post your suggestions, lessons, and resources for celebrating "Shrove Tuesday" (the day before Ash Wednesday) and Ash Wednesday (the official start of Lent).
History and Celebration of "Shrove" Tuesday
"Shrove Tuesday" has its roots in the Medieval Roman Catholic Church as the last day of the church season of Epiphany -- the last day that it was appropriate to feast and celebrate Christ's birth (Epiphany) before Ash Wednesday which began the penitential season of Lent which culminates in Holy Week.
"Shrove" comes from the Old English word "shrive" which means "to write, to prescribe." On Ash Wednesday and throughout Lent, after confession believers would perform acts of penance "prescribed" by the priest to demonstrate their remorse, contrition, apologetic, changed hearts in response to the forgiveness of Christ given to them.
Hence, "Shrove Tuesday" celebrations were the "last chance" to eat meat and fatty food, such as bacon and buttery pancakes, knowing that it would soon be time to confess our sins and fast ("do without") as Christ did in his sojourn through the wilderness -- as a sign of our respect, understanding, and humble gratitude.
In the French-speaking world, "Shrove Tuesday" was known as "Mardi Gras" which literally means "Fat Tuesday."
