I don’t care what you say — Mardi Gras is garbage. Be it a pseudo-celebration in Anycity, USA or the real-deal New Orleans bash, it’s all bunk. Rubbish. Hogwash. F’real. Why, why, why do we celebrate Mardi Gras when we should be celebrating Shrove Tuesday, aka, PANCAKE TUESDAY?!?!

That’s right, folks. Pancake Tuesday. It’s hands down the tastiest holiday ever. Period.

AND ... in honor of this awesome day, IHOP brings us National Pancake Day. From 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. today you can get a free short stack of flapjacks. The hitch? You're asked to consider making a donation to the Children's Mriacle Network or other area charities. Good deal ... now pass the syrup.