Design Pancake Day social posts and collages.

Summary/Overview

Pancake Day, also known as Shrove Tuesday, is a day of sweet treats and religious observances, held every year, on the Tuesday before Lent is due to begin. Whether you’re celebrating it for religious reasons or simply enjoying a pancake or two, there are many ways you can mark the occasion.

Read on to learn some Pancake Day facts and discover how the day is celebrated around the world. Using free templates from Adobe Express, you’ll be able to create Pancake Day themed posters, banners, social media content and more.

Explore Creative Cloud Express Pancake Day templates

What is Pancake Day?

Pancake Day is traditionally known as Shrove Tuesday, an important day in the Christian calendar. Shrove Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday, which marks the start of Lent.

Because Lent commemorates Jesus’ fasting in the desert, many Christians will often give something up for Lent to help with self-reflection. The things given up can be anything from foods, such as chocolate or alcohol, to giving up leisure time for praying and bible reading.

Shrove Tuesday gradually became more commonly known as Pancake Day in the 16^th century. As a consequence, in the UK, pancakes are traditionally chosen to enjoy before Lent begins. And it wasn’t long before the name Pancake Day became associated with Shrove Tuesday.

When did people start celebrating Pancake Day?

Shrove Tuesday has existed since at least 1000 AD, but pancakes weren’t associated with the day until 500 years later in the 16^th century Britain. It’s thought that pancakes were chosen for their ingredients. Butter, eggs, and fat weren’t allowed during Lent and rather than let the food go to waste, it was better to cook them up and use the ingredients in pancakes. In some parts of the country, church bells would ring out, signalling that it was time to start cooking pancakes.

For some Christians, Pancake Day, or Shrove Tuesday, is a moment for repentance and reflection, confessing their sins in preparation for Lent. They might also confirm the item they wish to give up during Lent and pray for the strength to help them stick to their goals.

How do people celebrate Pancake Day?

Unsurprisingly, Pancake Day is celebrated with pancakes. The style of pancake, whether thick or thin, and the topping, sweet or savoury, are all matters of personal choice. Though thin sweet pancakes are considered traditional in the UK.

England also sees it’s fair share of Pancake Day themed events. Some parts of England hold races that date back to 1445, where runners have to travel with a frying pan in hand, tossing and catching pancakes as they go. In Scarborough, a coastal town in the north of England, traffic is stopped, and people of all ages take part in skipping and games down by the beach.

Ways you can celebrate Pancake Day.

There are many different ways to celebrate Pancake Day, besides enjoying a few syrupy treats. Here are some ways you can mark the occasion.

Host a charity Pancake Day.

Why not raise some money for charity this Pancake Day? Wherever you decide to cook your pancakes, at home or in the office, you could charge £1 a pancake, or include a pay as you feel donation box. The money you raise can be donated to a charity of your choice.

Create a buzz for your event with an eye-catching poster to help decorate the event using our free templates. Turn any photos you take of the event into an Instagram post with our free template.

Hold a Pancake Day competition.

How high do you think you can toss a pancake? How many can you eat in one sitting? What’s the biggest pancake you think you can make? Push the limits of your Pancake Day with a friendly competition that everyone can take part in.

Create a Facebook post using our free templates to encourage people to join, or if you prefer, design and put up a flyer. Why not commemorate the winners of your competition in a photo collage?

Create some Pancake Day memes.

Share a laugh on social media and celebrate Pancake Day with a handful of memes using our creative templates for memes. Once you’ve designed your Pancake Day Memes you can share them on your Instagram story and watch the likes and comments roll in.

Organise a Pancake Day race.

If your town doesn’t already hold a Pancake Day race, it’s never too late to start one. Decide how long you want it to be, how many pancakes tosses are required, and where it should be held.

If you want to create a social media presence to promote the race, you can use our free templates to create a Twitter header that advertises when and where it’s going to happen.

Teaching Pancake Day.

If you’re a teacher and want to explore the history of Pancake Day with your students, there are plenty of fun and educational activities to you can share. Spending time designing pancake toppings, can help children explore foods and taste, and is a fun way to get creative without the mess.

Get creative and make some Pancake Day cards to celebrate Pancake Day. You can also engage parents and encourage discussion at home with a social media graphic posted on your school social media page.

Frequently asked questions.

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