So, today was Pancake Day. Also known in some circles as Shrove Tuesday. Tuesday, because it’s on a Tuesday, and Shrove, because…

… it’s a mediæval word for pancake.

Naah, actually it refers to receiving absolution for sins (being shriven of them) before Lent. It’s one of those things that I vaguely know because at one point in time I wondered what the word ‘Shrove’ meant in this context sufficiently to actually look it up.

But this is the time of year when there frequently becomes a noticeable difference between people who describe themselves as Christian, and those who more actively observe it. At least in my experience, this is where you get some people who actually give stuff up for lent, and people who just look forward to chocolate eggs.

It’s also the time of year when I remember that I don’t particularly like pancakes, only I have to eat them, because you’re supposed to have pancakes this time of year…

I remember a conversation with a work colleague several years ago where she told me what she was giving up for lent was “drinking chocolate”. She claimed that this was a major sacrifice, although after being exposed to my scepticism for around ten minutes, she realised that I had actually misheard her, and she was intending to give up “drink and chocolate” for forty days.

Which is fairly impressive, to be honest.

So am I giving up something this year? Well, aside from the fact that my personal take on religion generally ends up somewhere along the lines of “well, I dunno”, I think that what I consider to be Christian values — tolerance, forgiveness, understanding, compassion — are well worth supporting, whether you’re religious or not. And abstinence isn’t necessarily a bad thing: it is probably good to practice using a bit of willpower now and again.

So I’m going to give up something, maybe for even longer than 40 days. Maybe even for a whole year.

…and it’s going to be pancakes.