The theme of these observances is clearing away the old to prepare for the new. In Germany and France, a symbolic figure made of wicker or grass (Lord Carnival or the Spirit of Carnival) was often "sentenced" to death and cerermonially burned and buried (much as the old fields are burned off to prepare the ground for the new seed).

Similarly, the Jewish observance of Pesah ( Passover) which often coincides with Lent, begins with the meticulous search for, clearing out and destruction of old leaven, called hametz, to commemorate the flight from Egypt - which was undertaken by the Jewish people in such haste they could not wait for the bread dough to rise. The bread later cooked from the dough brought out of Egypt is unleavened bread - matzoh.

The spiritual significance of the Judao-Christian practice can be found in Proverbs 20:27 "The soul of a human being is the lamp of the Lord, searching all the innermost parts." We search ourselves to remove negativities, we purify ourselves, we "give up" something.

Shrove Tuesday is a women's feast because women and especially girls were the leading figures in mumming, village dances and pancake-flipping. The meal on Shrove Tuesday is marked in the English tradition by serving pancakes which are cooked without yeast and are therefore thin and flat - as in the saying, "Flatter than a pancake."

Shrove Tuesday Pancakes

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1 pinch salt
6 eggs
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter or margarine or shortening

Sift together flour, sugar and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and into it break six eggs. Blend flour and eggs until batter is smooth. Gradually add milk and melted butter, stirring constantly. Heat 1/2 teaspoon butter in skillet over medium heat. Ladle in enough batter to cover the bottom of the pan, rotating the pan to cover evenly. When the top bubbles, turn the pancake and brown the other side. Turn only once.
Throughly clean items to be placed in pancakes. Serve at least one pancake with an item rolled inside it to each family member. Other fillings uusually include sweet berries, fruit preserves, jams and butter. Yield: 20 pancakes.