Fat Thursday is a special holiday in the Polish calendar that marks the beginning of the lead-up to Lent. This folk celebration has deep roots and unique customs.
We explain when Fat Thursday will be celebrated in 2025 and what traditions are associated with it.
This year, Fat Thursday falls on 27 February. The holiday always takes place on the last Thursday before Lent, marking the start of the final week of the carnival season. Since the date depends on Easter, Fat Thursday can fall anywhere between 29 January and 4 March in any given year.
When it comes to the culinary side of the holiday, Fat Thursday in Poland is associated above all with doughnuts (pączki) and angel wings (faworki). However, the traditions vary by region. → In Silesia, krepie are popular — smaller, fattier versions of doughnuts whose name comes from the German "Krapfen". → In Podlachia, less sweet pancakes are often made instead of doughnuts. → Central Poland is known for dishes such as prażuchy, rakuchy and babuluchy. Generally speaking, according to Polish tradition, eating at least one doughnut on Fat Thursday brings good luck for the entire year. In the past, almonds or nuts were placed inside some doughnuts, and finding such a "surprise" was considered an especially lucky sign.
The roots of Fat Thursday go back to pagan times, when people celebrated the farewell to winter and the welcome of spring. These festivities were accompanied by the consumption of fatty foods and drinks — in particular, traditional doughnuts were prepared with lard and filled with meat. With the arrival of Christianity, the custom was transformed. Since Lent requires abstaining from rich food and merrymaking, people used the last day before the fast as an opportunity to indulge in treats and celebrate.
Similar celebrations exist in other countries as well. → Germany observes Faschingswoche — the final week of carnival with games and sweets, including Berliner doughnuts. → In France, the equivalent is Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) — also the last day of carnival, marked by colourful parades and feasting. → Residents of the United Kingdom celebrate Pancake Day during this period.
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In 2025, Fat Thursday falls on 27 February. It is always held on the last Thursday before Lent. Because the date depends on Easter, it can fall anywhere between 29 January and 4 March in a given year.
Poles traditionally eat doughnuts (pączki) and angel wings (faworki). Regional variations exist: krepie in Silesia, less sweet pancakes in Podlachia, and dishes such as prażuchy, rakuchy and babuluchy in central Poland.
According to Polish tradition, eating at least one doughnut on Fat Thursday brings good luck for the entire year. In the past, almonds or nuts were hidden inside some doughnuts, and finding such a surprise was considered an especially lucky sign.
Fat Thursday goes back to pagan times, when people celebrated the farewell to winter and the welcome of spring with fatty foods and drinks. After Christianity arrived, the custom changed: the last days before the Lenten fast became an opportunity to indulge in treats and celebrate.
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