The Romans named the third day of the week dies Martis, for
Mars, the god of war. It is still known as mardi in French and as martes in
Spanish. The Germanic people used the name of their own war god, Tiu -- giving
us the name Tuesday.
A few Tuesdays have special importance. The Tuesday after
the first Monday in November is Election Day in the United States. People go to
the polls to choose the officials who will run the government.
In the Christian calendar, Shrove Tuesday comes right before
Lent, -- the 40-day period of prayer and fasting that leads up
to Easter. It's -- the last chance for people to eat,
drink, and make merry. In days gone by, people tried
to use up all the butter and other fats they had on this day
because they would have to give up fats during Lent. Rich,
buttery foods became a Shrove Tuesday tradition. So this day is also
known as Pancake Tuesday, and as Fat Tuesday (or Mardi Gras, in
French).
Today some cities still hold Mardi Gras parades and
festivals. The Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans is one of the most famous.
But most Tuesdays are just ordinary days. And Tuesdays of the past were pretty dull:
Just as Monday was washday, Tuesday was ironing day. (Grolier New Book of
Knowledge Encyclopedia)
