Everyday Systems

S or No-S day for you? It's not a public holiday, but it's a widespread custom to eat rich S-foods then.

Actually, in my country this celebration falls on the Thursday which precedes Ash Wednesday, and it's called Fat Thursday. I've decided to replace two of my meals with doughnuts (traditional Fat Thursday food), which will allow me to participate in the holiday and at the same time won't undermine my weight loss efforts... too much Besides Fat Thursday, I don't eat doughnuts at all.

If it's part of your cultural tradition (Mom did it, Grandma did it, you grew up with it, your husband and kids would expect it) then it's an S-day.

If I grew up anywhere where Carnival, Mardi Gras and those various holidays were routinely celebrated would most CERTAINLY be an S-day for me!

If I had been given chocolate on Valentine's Day, I would have eaten some. I habitually have an Irish Coffee on St. Patrick's Day. (Okay, REAL Irish Coffee really isn't an S, but you get my point).

If you're celebrating one or two NWS (Non-weekend S-days) a month, you're doing fine.

My S-Days:

Weekends
Holidays where there is traditionally some "feast" aspect to it. (Easter, Independence Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas...)
Birthdays of close friends and family.
My wedding anniversary.

My NWS days are a bit thin on the ground this year, as birthdays are falling on weekends quite a lot, as is Christmas. Most months there aren't any. So if there turned out that there was some big celebration for a friend's accomplishment during the week, I'd take it, and not even think about it.

So yeah, for you Fat Thursday is definitely a legitimate S-day!

Hey if we're eating like our ancestors, then Shrove Tuesday/Fat Tuesday /Mardi Gras/Carnival or whatever you want to call it fits right in! It's the last feast before the period of fasting which begins with Lent on Ash Wednesday. That's about as traditional an eating pattern as we have in the Western world. (I guess Fat Thursday is a kickoff to a week of feasting - never heard of it, but traditions vary of course.)

So I think we'll have pancakes for dinner and bacon too! Then the next day -- we fast and abstain. (And keep it up for 40 days - not as strict as the Middle Ages, but stricter than modern America!)

The big exception day is of course St. Patrick's Day. In the Archdiocese of New York we were always allowed a day off from Lent then - he's the patron saint!

we did pancake day when we were kids, but it was never a big deal for me. Since I don't live 'at home' anymore, and I routinely forget pancake day unless I am reminded, and I can't be bothered to make vegan pancakes really anyway, and I don't practise a religion, I won't be taking an S day.

I agree with NoelFigart's criteria. If it's tradition for you, take it. For me it would be quite blatantly just an excuse

NoelFigart wrote:If it's part of your cultural tradition (Mom did it, Grandma did it, you grew up with it, your husband and kids would expect it) then it's an S-day.

I agree. Go for it, just "don't be an idiot". Your plan sounds good. Enjoy!