Translated by Herbert Meck
By Aga Biernacka
Carnival is celebrated differently in many countries. There are hundreds of customs that have a very long tradition. In Poland, for example, “Fat Thursday” (translated Tłusty Czwartek) is celebrated. It originally comes from the Catholic tradition and used to mean the last Thursday before the Great Fast. People ate a lot of fatty things, which of course were no longer allowed during Lent.
Nowadays, it is more commonly associated with the beginning of the last week of Carnival. All over Poland, people eat a lot of fatty pastries and sweets, especially doughnuts (pączki in Polish). So don’t be surprised if you can’t find any doughnuts – it’s Fat Thursday!