Pancake Tuesday And Ash Wednesday

Today I was walking in town when I saw an old woman with some dirt on her forehead. Strange I thought until I saw several other (mostly old) persons with the same mark on their forehead. I thought first that maybe some bully was making a practical joke on old people but then I realized it must be some Christian holiday and remembered the Ash Wednesday. Today is the beginning of fast apparently.

In Iceland I think most people have forgotten what this day is about, I myself am not really sure, but in Iceland we celebrate Öskudagur today and the children dress up in fancy costumes and beg for sweets in stores. You could say it is our Halloween.

In Sweden children dress up as Easter Witches (Påskkärring) on the Maundy Thursday (Skírdagur/Skärtorsdag) and go to peoples homes and beg for sweets in peoples homes.


Yesterday it was Pancake Tuesday here in Ireland, when people eat pancakes all day I guess. We had pancakes at work and they disappeared like Warm Lumms (heitar lummur)haha.

On that day in Iceland is the Sprengidagur (Bursting Day), on that day Icelanders eat Saltkjöt og Baunir which is a soup made of beans and salted meat.

Swedish people have their Fettisdag when they eat a lot of Semla which is a bun filled with almond paste and cream.

Iceland has a Bun Day too, Bolludagur. Bolludagur takes place on the Monday. Icelanders make wands called bolluvöndur and all day they hit people gently on the bum with this wand saying bolla!bolla!bolla! and according to the tradition all the people you hit will have to give you a Bolla. Bolla is a bun filled with rhubarb jam, cream and topped with chocolate sauce (tastes like chocolate eclair).

So many holidays in just three days.

Hope you had a nice week of Pancakes, Semlas or Bollas.

Gods I miss Semlas!