While popular traditions of celebrating Easter are an integral part of our shared culture, less is known about how other days of the Christian calendar at this time of year are observed, including the preceding period of Lent.

What is the children's tradition of `shroving'? How should one prepare and eat carlin peas on Passion Sunday? In what century were eggs forbidden during Lent? How do Christians around the world recognise St Valentine's Day?

Leigh Hatts' comprehensively-researched book helps us to rediscover the Christian based, seasonal customs buried deep within our culture and church life.

Keeping Lent and Easter is packed with fascinating details about the beliefs, rituals and traditions of liturgical days between Quinquagesima, or Transfiguration Sunday, (the Sunday before Lent) and Corpus Christi (the feast of thanksgiving on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday).