With that in mind, Fat Tuesday was treated like one last chance to get those urges out of your system before Lent. While that could mean enjoying a few pints and a couple crullers , most Christians actually spent the day confessing. Shrove Tuesday , another name for Fat Tuesday, actually refers to the process of a priest hearing a confession and forgiving someone of their sins. The idea was that you'd be best prepared for Lent if you had already repented for all your missteps.