The history of the pancake in Britain.
I doubt I’m abstaining from anything for Lent. I did consider giving up work this morning. 40 days would be one of my shorter periods of unemployment.
For a few years I gave up alcohol for Ramadan, because it fell conveniently before or after the UMIST Beer Fest and a little abstinence is a good thing before the indulgence of Christmas. It’s one of the benefits of being post-modern and secular- I can pick and choose which religious festivals, and from which religions, I choose to use as an excuse for doing stuff.
Next month I’ll be Irish for a day, along with about twenty times the population of Ireland around the world. St. Patrick has to be the greatest advertising campaign Guinness ever invented. Less celebrated are St. George (23rd April), St. Andrew (30th November) and St. David (1st March). I ought to celebrate those as well, I guess, and any other national saints’ days that seem appropriate.
Any excuse for a party.
i told an annoying evangelist that i would be giving up compassion for lent in carlisle last saturday