Remind me, what is pancake day and Ash Wednesday about?

[twinklingfairy]

Why is there a pancake day?
Why do we all eat pancakes today, other than cos everyone is talking about it?

And then, why did I, along with my parents go to church to get ash put on my head on the Wednesday?

Lapsed catholic, though doubt I want to return. But wondered what it was about?

You see why I am lapsed, I hadn't a clue why I was there in the first place.

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent which is a period of fasting. It reminds us of the time Jesus went into the desert for 40 days and nights before he was crucified. That means it leads up to Easter.
We eat pancakes the day before as they are made from the things (eggs, butter etc) people gave up when they fasted. Equally we eat eggs at the end to 'reward' ourselves for our fast.
The ashes are a form of penitence. I can't remember the providence of the actual ash although it could be from when palms from the previous year are burned.

Yes it marks the start of Lent, which is a period of fasting. Traditionally, people gave up rich foods, and used up the eggs etc by making pancakes, as they wouldn't keep. Which is a bit different from deliberately going out to buy stuff to make pancakes, but never mind...

And the ash is to make you think about death and mortality - as thebest says, it is made from the palm crosses from last year's Palm Sunday service.

At the end of Lent we have Easter Day, when we celebrate Christ rising from the dead. The Easter eggs are usually said to be the stone that was rolled away from the door of the tomb, but it's more likely that the whole "eggs, chicks & lambs" symbolism is just hijacked from earlier fertility celebrations, like a lot of the Christmas stuff is hijacked from pagan midwinter celebrations. The early Christians were happy to "borrow" from the local customs to get people in!

Ah yes, I knew the lent thing, just had forgotten why the ash.
I remember now about the palm leaves. I used to like making the crosses. Used to sit and make loads of the things during church.

Had no clue about the pancake thing.
Cheers for that