Mardi Gras

Two days in a row. Aren't you fortunate. LOL
Okay need some feedback.
Do you participate in lent?
What are you doing for lent?
If you don't participate, how do you feel about it.

Now if you don't participate, do you participate in shrove Tuesday?

I know many people who make sure they get paczkis or sweets in on "Fat Tuesday", but they don't follow the fast and abstinence associated with lent which follows shrove Tuesday.

Just curious why we follow some customs especially easy customs, but find excuses not to follow other customs when they are a little more difficult.

And now for some information.

The term Mardi gras is French for Fat Tuesday, referring to the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season, which begins on Ash Wednesday

The word shrove is the past tense of the English verb shrive, which means to obtain absolution for one's sins by way of Confession and doing penance.

Pancakes are associated with the day preceding Lent because they were a way to use up rich foods such as eggs, milk, and sugar, before the fasting season of the 40 days of Lent. The liturgical fasting emphasized eating plainer food and refraining from food that would give pleasure: In many cultures, this means no meat, dairy, or eggs

The term "Shrove Tuesday" is no longer widely used in the United States or Canada outside of Liturgical Traditions, such as the Lutheran, Episcopal, and Roman Catholic Churches