Today is Mardi Gras -- "Fat Tuesday," the day for using up all the luxurious foods in the house before Lent begins with its dietary restrictions. Mardi Gras isn't the only name for the day, though.
Shrove Tuesday is another name for this day, since people would be shriven, or given absolution following a confession, at the beginning of Lent. Its' also called Pancake Tuesday -- it used to be that eggs and cream and butter were forbidden during Lent, so careful housewives would make pancakes to use up what they had on hand. In communities in the United States and in the UK, Pancake Tuesday is celebrated with pancake races, in which racers flip pancakes in skillets as they run.
In many countries in Europe and South America, the entire season between Epiphany (January 6th) and Ash Wednesday (the first day of Lent) is Carnival., a season of celebration culminating in today's parties and parades.
In Germany, where Sweetique Eggs are made, today is Karneval or Fastnacht, the end of the season of Fasching. There are regional variations in the names and the customs, but generally Fasching is a time for dressing up and partying. It's reminiscent of the U.S. customs of both Halloween and Mardi Gras.
So go ahead and be a bit crazy today, wherever you are!
