Best Lent Ideas : What to give up for Lent

Are you thinking about what to give up for Lent? These Lent ideas are purposeful and unique. During the 40 days of Lent, while making our preparations for Easter, we can do something to better ourselves and the world around us.

A Lenten fast doesn’t have to consist of just fasting and abstinence from the things we love, but it can also include adding things during this season of Lent that will make our lives more meaningful.

I wrote this post several years ago, but updated it today and wanted to share it with you.

Lent is the season leading up to Easter. Many Christians celebrate Lent, including my family. My husband and I were both raised in Catholic churches. We both celebrate Lent, and we teach our kids to take part in it, as well.

The majority of Christians are Catholics (over 50% of Christians are Catholics). In fact, “The Catholic Church is the largest denomination within Christianity, tracing its roots back to Jesus Christ and the Apostles, with ‘Catholic‘ meaning ‘universal,’ signifying the fullness of the Christian faith.”

Lent Ideas: What should you give up for Lent?

These 10 ideas for Lent are for you & your family.  I want to help you decide what to give up for Lent this year because it is such a great time to really better ourselves and spread love, goodness, and kindness to the world.  It can go beyond “not eating ice cream” or “not having candy,” but we often overlook these things.  There are many things that you can give up for Lent.

You are welcome to read about Lent, or you can even skip down in this post to below the picture.  There, you’ll find my list of ideas for Lent and things to give up for Lent.

What is Lent? 

“Lent is a time of repentance, fasting, and preparation for the coming of Easter. It is a time of self-examination and reflection. In the early church, Lent was a time to prepare new converts for baptism.”

When is Lent?

Lent lasts for 40 days, and it begins the day following Shrove Tuesday, on Ash Wednesday. There are actually 46 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday, but Sundays during Lent are not considered to be “prescribed.”
Note: The Tuesday before Lent is often called Fat Tuesday because it’s the day before fasting begins. 

Why do we give up things for Lent?

Today, Christians focus on their relationship with God, often choosing to give up something or volunteer and give of themselves for others. The forty days represent the time Jesus spent in the wilderness, enduring the temptation of Satan.” (source: umc.org)

It begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday, the day before Easter. This is when most people ask themselves, “What should I give up for Lent?” or when people find themselves asking others, “What are some good things to give up for Lent?”

WHAT IS ASH WEDNESDAY:

“The distribution of ashes reminds us of our own mortality and calls us to repentance.

In the early Church, Ash Wednesday was the day on which those who had sinned and who wished to be readmitted to the Church would begin their public penance.

Now, the ashes that we receive are a reminder of our own sinfulness, and many people who receive them will leave them on their foreheads all day as a sign of humility.  (Source: catholicism)

Fasting is done on Ash Wednesday: we abstain from meat and snacks during these fasting days in the Lenten season. There are certain things that you can eat/not eat during Lent.   In fact, no meat on Friday is followed until Lent is finished. You will try to refrain from what you gave up for Lent.

I can remember walking around our high school in PA and seeing 90% of my friends with ashes on their heads. I went to the early morning mass on Ash Wednesday with my family, as did most of my friends (my high school had many Christians: Catholics, Presbyterians, Methodists, Lutherans, etc., so most of us celebrated Lent). That week, we were all talking about what to give up for Lent.

A lot of us went to church in the mornings during Lent. I also went to church on the morning of Holy Thursday and Good Friday. Our church would hold special services to talk about the stations of the cross and the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Palm Sunday was always one of my favorite Masses. Every year, we brought home the palms and hung them up, especially since my brother had a knack for making crosses out of them. He picked it up quickly, while I never quite got the hang of it. Even now, I still have many of the crosses he made for me as we grew up. I also love the readings during Palm Sunday Mass—they’ve always felt meaningful and were easy to understand, even as a child.

HERE ARE 10 THINGS TO GIVE UP FOR LENT: 

What to give up for Lent (Lent ideas):

If you want to know what to give up for Lent, start here with these 10 ideas of what to give up for Lent. I have also added some ideas of what you can ADD or DO for Lent, to better yourself and help others.

1. Don’t BUY anything that you don’t NEED.
(Amazon shopping included!)

If you can live without it, you don’t need it.  Give it up for Lent.  Put the money that you would have spent into a jar. You will be surprised at how quickly you build up your savings.

I even wrote a book about how to save money (Seeing how much we can save so quickly led us to do it year-round.  It was how we saved enough money for me to quit teaching and be a stay-at-home mom).

Tip: Once you see how much you saved after the 40 days, divide it into two groups: saving and donating. Don’t spend it—you worked too hard!

Oh, and if you want to earn more money during Lent (earn more to give more), you could even try to earn more money (and donate some of it) with these work-at-home jobs. 

2- Throw Away 40 things for 40 days with these daily declutter cards.

Every day, you walk around your house and collect 40 things to donate or throw away. Do this every day until Lent ends. (Lent Idea Bonus: Try donating because you are helping others.)

Print these 40 Things in 40 Days cards to help you with your daily journey. FIND THESE CARDS HERE. 

3- 40 Days of Home Organization

Go a step further this year. I have a decluttering course that would be perfect for Lent! It offers a day-by-day cleaning and decluttering guide with videos (and house tours). It will last you through Lent.

You can complete 40 tasks or follow this program and work through Lent. It’s a way to free up the things that hold me back—material things.

Tip: If possible, DONATE what you declutter. GIVE TO OTHERS.

Donate your unused or unwanted items after you have decluttered & organized your house.

If you want to get the kids involved, use these SWAP CHORES FOR SCREENTIME cards for 40 days (by the last day, you won’t need them anymore because your kids will be in the habit of helping.

It happens to everyone who uses them… I always get an email after a few weeks letting me know that these cards changed their child’s work habits so much that they don’t even have to use them anymore & the kids are helping out more than ever.)

4- No Gossiping. 

Give up gossiping for Lent. That means you cannot do any gossiping.  None!

If someone says something negative about another person, either say something nice or don’t say anything at all. You would think this would be SO easy, but when you can’t say anything negative about anyone else, you realize how often it happens, sadly.

I find myself saying, “Ugh.  The clerk at the store today was really rude.” or “I wish Mickey [my husband] would have given the boys a bath before I got home from the store.” or even, “Wow—those kids are really loud at that table. I’m surprised their mom isn’t asking them to use their indoor voices.” while we are out to eat.
Simple things like that make this one hard and important. It goes along with #10, which you will see in a minute.

5. Work out daily to care for the body God gave you.   

Spend this time focusing on caring for the body that God gave you. Remember that your body is your temple. As Corinthians 6:19-20  reminds us, “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”
For Lent, commit to doing some sort of workout every single day. You can walk, join a gym, or even work out at home.

John 1:2
“Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.”

Lent Idea 6- Don’t Eat After Dinner

This Lent idea is hard for me, so it makes me think about Lent because I can see just a glimpse of how Jesus struggled when he was hungry.

I eat most of my snacks in the evening while watching TV with my husband.  This year, I plan on letting myself have one bowl of YoNanas every night since it is only frozen fruit. ( Trust me, with my ice cream cravings, this is a mini-sacrifice all on its own.  haha .)

7- Give Up Soda for Lent 

This one is easy and not really out-of-the-box, but it is my struggle, so I had to include it. I have one Diet Coke a day when it is not Lent, so it is my sacrifice. It is harder than most people think since it is such a habit and routine of mine (I just stop on the way home from preschool at McDonald’s and grab a Diet Coke… every day).

Luckily, I have the soda stream & it gets me through that first week or two (I use the flavored water drink mixes).
The rest is easy.

8. Say Three Nice Things to Your Spouse & Kids Daily

You may think this is easy, but try to say things other than the normal “Thanks,” “You look nice,” or “Good job.” Try to do three out-of-the-box things during Lent this year.

Try saying, “I love how you always help the kids,” or “I love how you work hard on your homework, even when it is tough tonight. You are a hard worker.” Try to say this important word to your kids. Remember, your words become their inner voice.

Try this 40+ Printable Card pack.  (They are perfect for 40 days of getting-to-know-you ideas & words of affirmation)

9- Don’t Eat Out for 40 Days

Try to make easy crockpot meals, like this French Dip Sandwich or Chicken Salsa recipe.
You can try this whole-food Meal Plan. This downloadable e-book includes 21 days of Meals planned for you. It includes three weeks of meals planned for you (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and three snacks per day), coordinating weekly grocery lists, recipes, and more.

Save money and prioritize your health with healthy, home-cooked meals. Effortless crockpot recipes, like the delectable French Dip Sandwich or our favorite Chicken and salsa recipe, are easy and quick to prepare.

For a comprehensive approach to wellness, explore our Three-Week Healthy Meal Plan (ready for you to start today.)

This downloadable menu plan is your guide to 21 days of meticulously planned meals, ensuring you enjoy a variety of nutritious foods without the stress of planning. Dive into three weeks of complete meal planning, featuring breakfast, lunch, dinner, and three daily snacks, all crafted to support your health and energy levels. Along with these daily meal plans, you’ll receive coordinated weekly grocery lists and detailed recipes, making your journey to wellness as straightforward as possible.

Lent Idea 10: Replace 30 Minutes of TV or Screen Time with 30 Extra Minutes of Devotion/Prayer Time.

Read a devotional or bible story with your family and discuss it. You can use these PRAYER PROMPT CARDS FOR KIDS to help you get started. Or you can print out & make these prayer hands:

I also suggest picking up a devotional for kids (like this one) and reading a devotion every night. 

Lent Idea 11- Do Not Complain or Speak Negatively.

I added this Lent idea a little later, but I felt like it was an important one: Give up complaining and speaking negatively. We often complain and whine about things, but we need to try to have a positive outlook. I tried this one year, and it was very hard.

You don’t realize how much you complain until you give it up. “Do everything without arguing or complaining…” Philippians 2:14 NIV

Instead, use this time for daily prayer.  You could even try these daily prayer cards (we use them).   Print them out, cut them apart, and follow one card each day:

Or… Join us for 40 Days to a Better You!   

We’ve combined ALL of the 40-Day cards in one place– HERE.

Lent FAQ: 

Do only Catholics give something up during Lent? 

No, this is just a great time to better yourself.   Even if you aren’t Catholic, it is a great time to try to do something to better yourself, your spirit & your heart for 40 days.

I’d encourage you to also encourage your children to try to give something up, as well.  I try to have them do #7 and remind them often, and #9. Last year, they tried to give up vegetables…  haha! No such luck!

QUICK List of links:  WHAT TO GIVE UP FOR LENT ⇓

• Declutter Printable cards  40 cards with 40 decluttering tasks (use one card per day)
• Donate Cards: 40 cards with 40 things to donate (use a card per day)
• 40 Days of Prayer: 40 cards with 40 prayers & devotions (use one card per day)
• Prayer Hands  and Family Devotional
• 40 Days of Real Food
• Whole-Home Deep Decluttering
• Save Money (don’t buy what you don’t need)
• 40 Days of One-on-One Time with Your Child: 40 cards with 40 fun ideas for one-on-one time (use one card per day)
• Swap chores for screentime cards. Use these 40 days to teach your family the importance of working together, with everyone pitching in. Teach your kids about hard work & good character. Encourage less screen time & more family time.
• 40 Days to a Better You 

These chore cards are the best thing we’ve done to teach our kids about ‘work before play’ and the importance of helping around the house. 

You can find them here.

What will you give up for Lent?  I’d love to see your Lent ideas in the comments!

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