A thought that started from a Facebook conversation

On facebook I admitted that I've eaten tiramisu instead of semla today. How unconventional. How unswedish of me. Sorry.

Understandably a non-swedish friend asked what a semla is.

Semla is a swedish bun with some kind of marzipan and whipped cream. To be eaten today only on the day we call fat tuesday. (Or Mardi Gras here in the US...)
It sounded so weird when I started to think about it. Then again, it occurred to me, we're the same people that dance like frogs around a huge fallos symbol on midsummer.

Maybe it actually makes sense though to eat something fat and sweet right before fast...

But still, traditions sounds so insane when you try to explain. At least swedish ones. The traditions I've been exposed to from other countries have all made sense in some way or another. Maybe they have known how to select what to share well. Or maybe I'm just more self critical.

Is there any other country in the world that celebrate name's days?
In Sweden almost every date have one, two or sometimes three names that are celebrated that day only, every year. Too bad for the people with rare names.
Some just get a congrats. Some take the opportunity to celebrate with a cake or maybe a good dinner. Others even get gifts. Just to celebrate what you are called.
But I'm all for that view point that every reason to celebrate is a good reason.
Appreciate the small things in life and especially the great ones. Take the opportunity to be happy or even grateful, take the opportunity to pamper the ones we care about.
Swedes are a lot about that I think. That's why in Sweden we celebrate christmas until easter. But that's not true. Because in between there's the fast. Ha ha ha I'm lying, but that's the lyrics to an old christmas song we sang as kids dancing around the christmas tree. We're obviously a people with ring dance traditions. We do celebrate christmas in 20 days though. Most families maybe cheat on that one...but on the 20th day you're "supposed" to get rid of the last christmas cookies and throw out the christmas tree.

Do we have any other weird traditions? What odd traditions do other countries have? Speaking of that, can anyone explain to me how you actually celebrate Mardi Gras here in the US??