Pancake Day is a big thing in a lot of countries: in Germany, the season has various names depending on the region. Karneval is used in the Rhineland, whereas Fasching is the term for the south of Germany and Austria. Parades often take place the previous Sunday and Monday, for instance the Schoduvel parade (dating back to 1293) in the northern German city of Braunschweig. However in Switzerland, their word Fastnacht includes celebrations that take place after Ash Wednesday.
In France there is the Fête de la Chandeleur, festival of candles or Candlemass. It is said that Pope Gelasius I helped to establish the festival, feeding crêpes to the pilgrims visiting his church. Then there are the legends: if you can flip a pancake with one hand while holding a gold coin in the other, your immediate family will prosper throughout the year. Or flip then hold a coin and make a wish – catch it and your wish will come true. Finally, eating lots of pancakes on the day will ensure a good crop!
Adapted from german-way.com and frenchconnections.co.uk