Fat Thursday

Fat Thursdayis a Christian tradition in some countries marking the last Thursday beforeLentand is associated with the celebration ofCarnival. Because Lent is a time of fasting, the days leading up toAsh Wednesdayprovide the last opportunity for feasting (including simply eatingforbidden items) untilEaster. Traditionally it is a day dedicated to eating, when people meet in their homes or cafés with their friends and relatives and eat large quantities of sweets, cakes and other meals usually not eaten during Lent. Among the most popular all-national dishes served on that day arepączkiin PolandorBerliners, fist-sized donuts filled with rose hip jam, and angel wings (faworki), puff pastry fingers served with powdered sugar.
Jeudi Gras (French for Fat Thursday) is a time when crepes would be served to use up stores of butter or lard and eggs, similar to the Shrove Tuesday tradition regarding pancakes in England.
Weiberfastnachtis an unofficial holiday in theRhineland.At the majority of workplaces, work ends before noon. Celebrations start at 11:11 am in Germany. In comparison withRosenmontag, there are hardly any parades, but people wear costumes and celebrate in pubs and in the streets.Beueler Weiberfastnacht("women's carnival in Beuel") is traditionally celebrated in theBonndistrict of Beuel.The tradition is said to have started here in 1824, when local women first formed their own "carnival committee". The symbolic storming of the Beuel town hall is broadcast live on TV.  In many towns across the state ofNorth Rhine Westphalia, a ritual "takeover" of the town halls by local women has become tradition. Among other established customs, on that day women cut off the ties of men, which are seen as a symbol of men's status. The men wear the stumps of their ties and get aBützchen(little kiss) as compensation.
Known as Tsiknopempti inGreece, it is part of the traditional celebrations ofApókries(Απόκριες), theGreek Carnivalseason. The celebration, normally translated as Smelly Thursday, Charred Thursday, or Smoky Thursday, centers on the consumption of large amounts of grilled and roasted meats.
Giovedì grasso(Fat Thursday) is celebrated in Italy,but it is not very different frommartedì grasso(Shrove Tuesday). In Venice at the turn of the twentieth century, for example, it was marked by "masquerades, a battle of flowers on the Plaza, a general illumination and the opening of the lottery".The English writerMarie Corellimentionedgiovedì grasso(as "Giovedi Grasso") in her second novel,Vendetta(1886), as a day when "the fooling and the mumming, the dancing, shrieking, and screaming would be at its height."
The tradition may have an older background though. The position of men compared to women in society has often been a matter of debate. InCologneis since 1824 the so-calledWeiberfastnachtknown. On the Thursday before carnaval, women are wearing men's clothes, reversing the roles and thus literally "being the man". In the Dutch border villageGroenstraata precursor to theAuwwieverbal(Old women ball) orAuw Wieverdaag(old women day) was known already in the early 19th century. The people at that time earned a living by breeding goats and selling woman's hair. The Thursday before carnaval the men would sell the hair to their French buyers. After the sale, as the man had plenty of money, they would go visit the pubs. The women would not be at the sale because they were expected to stay at home. Out of fear that their men would squander the money raised by their hair, the women would go find their husbands to prevent them from wasting it on alcohol. The search along the pubs transformed later to theOuwewijvenbal. The women, this time incognito, firmly asserted themselves to their husbands and other men.
InPoland, Fat Thursday is calledtłusty czwartek(which translates to Fat Thursday). People purchase their favorite pastries from their local bakeries. Traditional foods includepączki(doughnuts), which are large deep-fried pieces of yeastdough, traditionally filled withfruit jamorrosepetal jam (though others are often used) and topped with powdered sugar,icingorglaze.Angel wings(faworkiorchrusty) are also commonly consumed on this day.
In Slovenia, Fat Thursday is celebrated with specific culinary traditions. People often enjoy special foods that are rich and hearty. A common treat is “krof,” a type of doughnut that is usually filled with jam, particularly apricot, and dusted with powdered sugar. These doughnuts are a staple of the celebration and are enjoyed by many.
Apart from krof, other fatty and rich foods are also consumed, reflecting the tradition’s focus on indulgence and enjoyment before the austerity of Lent. The celebration is not just about food; it’s also a time for social gatherings, family get-togethers, and community events, often accompanied by music and festivities.
InSpainthis celebration is calledjueves larderoorjueves de comadreand inCatalan-speaking areas,dijous gras, a children's holiday.InAlbaceteinSpaincommunity of Castille-La Mancha,jueves larderoorDia de la Monais celebrated with a round pastry with a boiled egg in the middle calledmona. InAragona meal is prepared with a specialsausagefromGrauswhile in Catalonia the tradition is to eat sweetBunyolsandBotifarra d’ou.
Syrian Catholicshave celebrated the day as "Drunkard's Thursday" withdolmasas the traditional food.