"Showstopper" um 12 Uhr nachts

Für die heutige Fasenacht bin ich auf eine schöne Empfehung von Maria Augusta Trapp gestoßen - dieses Jahr werden wir das nicht mehr alles so hinbekommen wie sie es in ihrem Buch "Around the Year With the Trapp Family" ("Feste feiern mit der Trapp-Familie") empfiehlt. Nächstes Jahr aber ganz bestimmt:

"The last three days before Ash Wednesday everywhere, not only in Austria, but also in other countries, pancakes ('Palatschinken' in Austria) were eaten, obviously merely because eggs and butter and milk had to be finished off before the fasting began, and pancakes took care of a great many eggs and much milk and butter! These last days before Ash Wednesday are the climax of Carnival. In the Catholic countries. where Lent afterwards would be taken seriously, work was stopped. People made merry practically day and night. In South America it still seems to be this way, according to stories we have heard in Rio! The last day of Carnival is 'Mardi Gras' or 'Faschingsdienstag' or 'Fat Tuesday.' This should be a big celebration, if possible of the whole parish together, or a circle of friends, and everything which one did during the previous weeks should be done just once more. 'Once more this dance!' 'Once more this song!' 'Once more this game!' -- until twelve o'clock sharp. When the clock strikes twelve, in the middle of the dance, according to the good old tradition, one should stop and the whole group should kneel down and say one 'Our Father' together and then, rising up, say, 'I wish you a blessed season of Lent' and go home."