Known as Mardi Gras in party circles, Shrove Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday, and is exactly 47 days before Easter. Mardi Gras has roots in European celebrations and was brought to the Western Hemisphere by those that settled the New World. In New Orleans, the French began the tradition of the colorful street parties in the 1700s. Brazil hosts latin-infused Carnaval beginning on Epiphany (Jan. 6) and ending on Mardi Gras.

Mardi Gras literally means Fat Tuesday and is celebrated with much over-indulgence, a nod to the fasting that will begin for Christians the next day. Ash Wednesday is the start of Lent, a season for giving up a cherished food, drink or activity to show deference to God.

Shrove Tuesday is celebrated in much of the United Kingdom, Ireland and Australia. The day is also known as Pancake Day, because many homes would dispose of sweet, rich ingredients like eggs and cream before Lent began. Shrove means to ask for forgiveness by doing penance, and not eating the rich goodness of pancakes could be considered penance. Besides eating pancakes, traditions include pancake races and pancake football. Charity events are also held to raise money for various organizations.

Shrove Tuesday Pancakes are thin and flavorful, very sweet. They are traditionally sprinkled with sugar, rolled and splashed with a little lemon. Don’t skimp on the fat, this is the last of it for 6 weeks!

4 large eggs
1 cup milk (do not use low-fat or nonfat)
1 tablespoon butter — melted
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla — extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup all purpose flour
Additional melted butter
Powdered sugar
Fresh lemon juice
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Blend first 6 ingredients in blender. Gradually add flour; blend until smooth. Let stand 15 minutes.

Heat medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Brush with butter. Add 2 generous tablespoons batter, tilting pan to coat bottom. Cook until golden on bottom, about 45 seconds.

Turn pancake over. Cook until bottom is speckled with brown, about 30 seconds. Turn out onto paper towel. Cover with another paper towel. Repeat with remaining batter, brushing skillet with butter as needed.

Butter ovenproof dish. Sift powdered sugar over speckled side of each pancake, then sprinkle lightly with lemon juice; fold pancakes into quarters. Overlap pancakes in prepared dish. Cover; bake until heated through, about 10 minutes.

Serve with more powdered sugar and lemon juice.

The International Union Against Cancer began World Cancer Day to raise awareness of the circumstances that cause cancer. This year they are working on a campaign to stop second-hand smoke.

Only 100% smoke-free environments protect yourchildren and family from the very serious healthproblems that breathing second-hand smoke causes.Do not allow anyone to smoke in your home.Demand that all indoor public places be 100%smoke-free.

This holiday is dedicated to the memory of four brave United States Army chaplains who gave their lives when the USAT Dorchester was hit by a torpedo and sank on February 3, 1943 in the frigid water near Greenland. They helped other soldiers board lifeboats and gave up their life jackets when the supply ran out. Because of their courage, 230 men of the 902 aboard survived the attack.

The chaplains were Lieutenants Rev. George L. Fox, a Methodist minister; Rabbi Alexander D. Goode; Father John P. Washington; and Rev. Clark V. Poling, a Protestant minister. For more information, listen to a moving audio of their story.

Holidays during the winter months many times have some component of light, as in the case of Imbolc, or St. Brigid’s Day. Imbolc is one of the four principal festivals of the Irish calendar, which also includes Beltaine, Lughnasadh and Samhain. Originally dedicated to the goddess Brigid, in Christian times it was adopted as St Brigid’s Day. The Catholic Church later replaced it with Candlemas on February 2, or the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, a celebration that involves the blessing of the candles during Mass. 

Imbolc is also called Oimelc, two names which refer to the lactation of the ewes. The flow of milk symbolizes the return of of spring. Get an early taste of the season with this Light Baked Egg Custard.
Ingredients
3 cups 2% low-fat milk
2 eggs
2 egg whites
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions
Heat milk over medium-high heat in a heavy saucepan until tiny bubbles form around edge. (Do not boil). Remove from heat; set aside.Combine eggs and egg whites in a large bowl; beat well with a wire whisk. Add sugars; beat well with a wire whisk. Gradually add milk to egg mixture beating constantly. Stir in extracts.Spoon 1/2 cup egg mixture into each of 8 (6-ounce) custard cups; sprinkle with nutmeg. Place 4 custard cups in each of 2 (9-inch) round cakepans; add hot water to each pan to a depth of 1 inch. Bake at 325° for 45 minutes or until set. Remove custard cups from pans; cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap; chill.

The tradition of this holiday dates back to 1841, the popularity to a 1993 movie starring Bill Murray. However you know it, Groundhog Day is a fun mid-winter exercise in weather predicting. As the folklore goes, if the groundhog sees his shadow on Feb. 2 we will have 6 more weeks of winter. If the sun shines bright and no shadow, it will be an early spring.   The tradition finds its roots in Candlemas, a Christian holiday celebrating the presenting of baby Jesus to the Temple. According to a Scottish poem

If Candlemas be fair and bright 

Winter will have another flight

If Candlemas be cloud and snow

Winter will be gone and not come again

Join can join the fun and the club (for $10) by signing up for the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club.  Home of the famous Punxsutawney Phil groundhog, the club is the invention of the Chamber of Commerce of the Pennsylvania town that put groundhogs on the map. 

No, don’t spend the day listening to “Smells Like Teen Spirit” (for those of you who were into grunge music in the 1990s). This is the day to mark the death and ultimate Nirvana of the man who invented it all, Gautama Buddha. Also called Parinirvana day, which means the final Nirvana, this holiday is celebrated on Feb 8 or Feb 15, depending on what part of Asia you live in. It is the celebration of Buddha’s death when he reached total Nirvana at the age of 80.

On Nirvana Day, Buddhists think about their lives and how they can work towards gaining the perfect peace of Nirvana. Nirvana is believed to be the end of rebirth and is the ultimate aim of Buddhism. It is reached when all want and suffering is gone. Some temples treat it as a social holiday, with food and gifts.

Nirvana is attained by meditating and following the guiding principles of Buddhism, in particular the Four Noble Truths which Buddha experienced while he meditated under the Bodhi tree:

Life is suffering
Suffering is due to having desires
Suffering can be ended when overcoming desires
The way to end suffering is through the Eightfold Path.

Welcome in Year 4705 (on the Chinese calendar, that is). There is nothing like a Chinese New Year celebration, and it’s usually not hard to find one. Cities throughout the world host parades and festivals throughout the 15 day celebration.Chinese New Year starts with the New Moon on the first day of the new year and ends on the full moon 15 days later.Each of the 15 days has a special significance.

• First day - Welcoming of the gods. Also a time to visit the eldest members of the family, such as grandparents. The day is normally capped off with fireworks.
• Second day - Birthday of all dogs. Also a time for married daughters to visit their parents.
• Third and fourth days - good days to get into an argument. Avoid visiting family.
• Fifth day - Businesses that have been closed for a four-day holiday begin to reopen.
• Sixth day - God of Pig Day. Clean out those pig pens!
• Seventh day - The day all humans become one year older. Healthy vegetables are eaten on this day.
• Eighth day - Completion day, everyone goes back to work!
• Ninth day - Prayers to the Jade Emperor
• Tenth day through the twelve day - Invite friends and family over to eat up all the leftovers from the holiday.
• Thirteen day - Most people eat very simply on this day to make up for all therich food from the holiday.
• Fourteen day - Getting ready for the Lantern Festival.
• Fifteen day - Lantern Festival, which is celebrated at night with lantern displays and children carrying lanterns in a parade.

Australia Day (or Foundation Day) celebrates the arrival of Jan 26, 1788 of British Captain Arthur Phillip, who landed at Sydney Cove and established the Colony of New South Wales. Of course one person’s Foundation Day is another’s Invasion Day, and that’s how some Indigenous Australians refer to that fateful hour.

Listen to their anthem….

Whatever the viewpoint, Australia Day is a national public holiday with fireworks, music and food. It is also the day they bestow the “Australian of the Year” Awards. This honor has been given out since 1960 to an outstanding citizen who has made significant contributions to the community. Anyone can nominate, and the award has been expanded to include The Young Australian of the Year Award, Senior Australian, and Australia’s Local Hero Award. 

No, don’t burn the dinner roast! Burns Supper is a holiday celebrating the life and poetry of the Scottish poet Robert Burns. Author of many Scots poems including “Auld Lang Syne,” Burns is considered to be their national poet. His birthday, January 25, 1759 is commemorated world-wide with a special supper featuring the national dish, the Haggis, a lovely dish featuring sheep’s ‘pluck’ - heart, liver and lungs- minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and boiled in the animal’s stomach for approximately three hours.

The basic format of dinner has remained steady since the poet’s death in 1796. It starts with a general welcome and announcements followed with the Selkirk Grace. Then comes the piping and cutting of the Haggis, where Robert’s famous poem “Address To a Haggis” is read, and the haggis is cut open. Yum! Look for Burn’s Society in your area to taste a bit of this tempting treat!
If you don’t think your family will go for lams stomach, try this other traditional Scottish dish, Shepherd’s Pie.
Ingredients:
1 lb Minced lamb
1 lb Potatoes
Large onion
2 oz. Mushrooms
Bay leaf
2 Carrots
1/2 cup flour
1 tbsp. Tomato puree
1 oz. Butter
4 tbsp. Milk -
1/2 pint Lamb or beef stock
2 oz. Cheese

Method:
Dry fry the lamb with the chopped onion, bay leaf, sliced mushrooms and diced carrots for 8-10 minutes. Add the flour and stir for a minute. Slowly blend in the stock and tomato puree. Cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens and boils. Cover and simmer gently for 25 minutes. Remove the bayleaf and place in an ovenproof serving dish.

At the same time, cook the potatoes in boiling water for 20 minutes until tender. Drain well, mash with the butter and milk and mix well. Spread on top of the mince mixture and sprinkle over with the grated cheese.

Bake for 15-20 minutes in a pre-heated oven at 350 degrees.

Martin Luther King Day honors the man who preached non-violent civil disobedience. It is earmarked in the United States as the third Monday in January, near King’s birthday of January 15. Born in 1929, King became a preacher in the mid 1950’s in Montgomery, Alabama, where he lead protests against the discrimination of  African-Americans. King was killed by an assassin in Memphis on April 3, 1968 but his legacy lives on. There is a movement to make MLK Day bit just a day off from school and work, but a day of social service. To do your part, volunteer for any activity that will benefit the community - serve a meal to homeless or senior, read to children at a local library, fix something in your community. 

You’ll feel good about what you’ve done while you make a difference to someone else - a lesson that King believe in and lived during his life and we can carry on after his death.