George Papas looks forward to Mardi Gras each year for one jelly-filled reason.

"It's a big holiday for us here," said Papas, the owner of Papas Bakery, 6055 S. Howell Ave.

But Papas isn't referring to the stereotypical New Orleans-style Mardi Gras that people associate with the day before Ash Wednesday. Papas is referring to Paczki Day, named after the jelly-filled pastries of the same name.

According to local bakery owners, each year scores of Milwaukee citizens spend their Mardi Gras mornings lined up outside of bakeries in recognition of Paczki Day, a Polish holiday celebrated before the beginning of Lent. Similar to Mardi Gras but without the big parades and beaded necklaces, Paczki Day is a "last-minute indulgence in sweets before Lent," said Karen Hosterman Ward, owner of National Bakery & Deli, 3200 S. 16th Street.

According to Polish tradition, Catholics observed this holiday by eating a variety of sweets but especially paczki. Local bakers describe paczki as a Polish dessert similar to a jelly-filled doughnut, but richer, because they contain more eggs and butter. Traditionally, they are filled with a prune-flavored preserve, but local bakery owners say that other flavors, like strawberry, are more popular.

"Everybody has their personal taste … If you like a rich jelly-filled doughnut, this is definitely one of the tastiest out there," said Cindy Lemek, executive director of the Polish Center of Wisconsin.

In the past, bakers would make paczkis to use up most of their ingredients before Lent, a time of fasting and sacrifice before Easter. Now the desserts have become a Mardi Gras breakfast tradition, local bakery owners said.

Although it was traditionally celebrated on the Thursday before Ash Wednesday, Polish-Americans participate in the Paczki Day festivities the day before in conjunction with other Mardi Gras events.

Lemek said the holiday is celebrated widely in the Milwaukee and Chicago areas among the Polish population and is becoming increasingly popular even with people not of Polish heritage.

"We're welcoming everyone to participate in the celebration of Paczki Day," Lemek said.

In honor of Paczki Day, the Polish Center of Wisconsin sells the pastry at local Catholic churches.

Local bakeries also participated in the holiday. National Bakery & Deli made more than 30,000 paczkis for the event.

"They're extremely popular on this day," Ward said.

Papas agreed. He said the treats are popular year-round, but there is an increase in paczki sales this time of year.

"Many people are tradition-bound and (the pastries) are tied to religion," he said.

The holiday is a big one for Papas, not only as the owner of a Milwaukee bakery, but also as a consumer. When asked what he personally thought of paczkis, Papas said: "I love 'em'. I've been eating them for years."