Wondering what to give up for Lent this year?
If so, you’re in luck!
Today, I’m sharing 100 of the BEST things to give up for Lent so you can find the one that’s just right for you.
After all, you don’t want any ol’ ideas for Lent.
Why bother giving up chocolate or soda for Lent if it won’t make a real difference?
And you definitely don’t want to pick something awkward that you’re going to be embarrassed to share with others…
No, as you’re deciding what to give up for Lent, you want something meaningful. Something that’s unique just to you. And something that will truly make a difference in your life this Lenten season.
You don’t just want good things to give up for Lent — you want to find the BEST things to give up for Lent.
So whether you’re wondering, “What do people give up for Lent?” “What are the most common things to give up for Lent?” or “What should I give up for Lent this year?” you’ll find tons of helpful ideas for Lent right here!
Scroll down to find:
- What is Lent?
- Why Do We Celebrate Lent?
- Why Do We Give Up Things for Lent?
- Free Printable “What Should I Give Up For Lent” Worksheet PDF
- When is Lent 2023?
- Is Lent Only for Catholics? (Do Baptists Celebrate Lent?)
- What are the Most Common Things to Give Up for Lent?
- The 100 BEST Things to Give Up for Lent
- What I’m Giving Up for Lent in 2023/li>
Related Reading: 40 Short Daily Lenten Prayers for Spiritual Renewal
What is Lent?
Lent is a 40-day period of spiritual preparation leading up to Easter in which many Christians reflect on Christ’s death and resurrection. This year, Lent begins on Wednesday, February 22, 2023 (Ash Wednesday) and ends on Thursday, April 6, 2023 (Holy Thursday).
Why Do We Celebrate Lent?
Christians typically celebrate Lent in order to remember, reflect on, and prepare their hearts for the coming Easter season, which celebrates Jesus’s death and resurrection. It’s meant to be a time of reflection and penance through self-sacrifice, denial, and repentance.
While many people use Lent as a way to better themselves (through giving something up for Lent), the Lenten season isn’t really supposed to be about us at all. Rather, it’s a time to reflect on what Jesus did and to grow in our relationship with him.
Lent is less about self-centered self-help, and more about allowing the Holy Spirit to work through God’s grace in us.
In the Catholic Church, the three pillars of Lent are fasting, prayer, and almsgiving (giving charity to the poor).
Related Reading: Where is Lent in the Bible?
Why Do We Give Up Things for Lent?
Christians give things up for Lent as a form of sacrifice, self-denial, or self-improvement in order to grow in their relationship with God or to be more like Him.
The practice of giving something up for Lent isn’t required by any Christian denomination. (Though Catholics are required to follow these Catholic Lenten Fasting Rules.) Rather, Christians (and even many non-Christians) voluntarily choose what to give up for Lent as a spiritual discipline to help them grow in faith and charity.
Free Printable “What Should I Give Up For Lent” Worksheet PDF
Need help deciding what to give up for Lent?
Don’t simply choose chocolate, coffee, or social media because those some of the most common things to give up for Lent.
You want to choose the one or two Lent sacrifice ideas that will make the most difference for you!
Thankfully, I’ve put together a free printable “What Should I Give Up For Lent” Worksheet PDF that will help.
Not only will it help you choose between the best things to give up for Lent for you personally, but it will also help you determine what your biggest spiritual struggles are right now AND how to overcome them.
This printable “What Should I Give Up For Lent” Worksheet PDF is free. Just let me know where to send it!
When is Lent?
This year, Lent begins on Wednesday, February 22, 2023 (Ash Wednesday) and ends on Thursday, April 6, 2023 (Holy Thursday).
Technically, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday, and are not counted within the 40 days of Lent. Additionally, Sundays are not included in Lent, as they are considered “Feast Days” on the Catholic liturgical calendar.
While the majority of people choose to give something up from Ash Wednesday until Easter Sunday morning, some people do choose to still enjoy the thing they gave up on Sundays and the final few days leading up to Easter.
Since giving something up for Lent is optional anyway, either way is acceptable.
Is Lent Only for Catholics? (Do Baptists Celebrate Lent?)
While Catholics are the most likely to give something up for Lent, Lent isn’t only for Catholics. Lent is also commonly observed by Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians, Anglicans and those in the Eastern Orthodox church. Evangelicals, Pentecostalists and Baptists don’t typically celebrate Lent, but there’s no reason they can’t. Anyone can decide what to give up for Lent!
According to Lifeway Research, “Catholics (61 percent) remain most likely to observe Lent.” But 20% of Protestants as a whole (including 28% of Evangelicals) DO observe Lent in some capacity, even if their home churches don’t.
Related Reading: Catholic Lent Fasting Rules Made Easy (Complete Guide)
What are the Most Common Things to Give Up for Lent?
Research shows that some of the most common things to give up for Lent are sweets (including chocolate, candy, or dessert), social media, meat, alcohol, soda, and coffee. These are just a few of the popular things to give up for Lent, however.
According to a 2021 research study conducted by YouGov.com:
“Among those who are planning to give something up for Lent, the most common sacrifice is desserts or sweets (24%). One in five participants will forgo soda (20%) or fast food and dining out (20%). Close behind, 17% will give up alcohol. Around one in six plans to abstain from gossiping (16%) or non-essential shopping (15%)…
Other less popular items to give up for Lent in 2021 include social media (14%), watching television (11%), caffeine (9%), or video games (8%).”
Similarly, OpenBible.info publishes a Twitter Lent Tracker each year that shares the 100 most popular things to give up for Lent, according to Twitter. For example, the most common things to give up for Lent last year were:
- Alcohol
- Social networking
- Lent
- Sex
- Coffee
- Chocolate
- Swearing
- Men
- Meat
This data is very likely biased (many Twitter users report giving up “Lent” for Lent, and other sarcastic or funny answers), but it’s still interesting to watch the trends from year to year.
In fact, OpenBible.info even provides a Historical Twitter Lent Tracker so you can easily see how the most popular things to give up for Lent change over time. While I wouldn’t choose what to give up for Lent based on trends alone, it is very interesting to see the various Lent sacrifice ideas change in popularity over time.
Of course, asking “What do people give up for Lent?” will only get you so far. It’s a good start, but eventually, you’ll need to figure out what to give up for Lent for yourself. Thankfully, in this post, we’re sharing 100 of the BEST ideas for Lent for adults, so you can find the Lent sacrifice ideas that are just right for you.
Scroll down to learn more!
The 100 BEST Things to Give Up for Lent in 2023
Alright, ready to dive in? Without further ado, here are ONE HUNDRED of the best things to give up for Lent for adults in 2023.
These ideas for Lent are all broken down by category (popular things to give up for Lent, funny things to give up for Lent, unique things to give up for Lent, etc) so you can figure out find the Lent sacrifice ideas that make the most sense for you this Lenten season!
10 Best Things to Give Up for Lent 2023
- Toxic relationships
- Trying to control others
- Caring what others think
- Beliefs that are against God’s Word
- Fear, doubt, or worry
- That sin you’ve been holding onto
- The bad habit or addiction you haven’t kicked
- Your pride or ego
- Money (Donate to a non-profit)
- Time (Volunteer for a cause)
Meaningful Things to Give Up for Lent
- Anger
- Unforgiveness
- Comparison
- Worrying
- Gossipping
- Stress eating
- Nagging
- Complaining
- Critical self-talk
- Avoiding difficult conversations
Unique Things to Give Up for Lent
- The snooze button
- Watching TV, Hulu, Netflix, or Youtube
- Wearing make-up
- Looking in the mirror
- Checking your bank account
- Bottled water
- Weighing yourself
- Talking about yourself
- Listening to the radio
- Constant negativity
Easy Things to Give Up for Lent
- Texting while driving
- Driving over the speed limit
- Reading certain books or magazines
- Taking the best parking spots
- Checking your phone first thing in the morning
- Any app or website you waste too much time on
- Eating lunch by yourself
- Working on the Sabbath
- Extra food in your pantry (donate it)
- Throwing away leftovers (use them up!)
Funny Things to Give Up for Lent
- Selfies
- Using Instagram filters
- Being in a hurry
- Being late
- Buying lunch
- Sarcasm
- Hot Showers
- Wine
- Taking the elevator
- Grouchiness
Creative Things to Give Up for Lent
- Sleeping in
- Online shopping
- Working overtime
- Fast food, junk food, or take out
- Snacks or mindless eating
- Constantly checking your phone
- Using screens after 8pm
- A specific food group (bread, cheese, sugar)
- Needing to have the final word
- Having to have things your way
Popular Things to Give Up for Lent
- Social media
- Chocolate
- Coffee
- Soda
- Alcohol
- Fast food
- Dining out
- Television
- Video games (games on your phone)
- Non-essential spending
Things to Give Up for Lent (Catholic)
- Eating meat
- Extra meals
- Skipping Sunday Mass
- Not prioritizing daily Mass
- Not prioritizing confession
- Arriving late to Mass (or leaving early)
- Staying silent about your faith
- Avoiding volunteer opportunities at church
- Neglecting to pray with your children
- Neglecting to learn what the Church teaches and why
Other Things to Give Up for Lent
- Swearing
- Texting
- Staying up too late
- Clutter (donate 40 things over 40 days)
- Multi-tasking (give people your full attention)
- Watching the news
- Buying single-use plastics
- Avoiding people who annoy you
- Interrupting others
- Telling white lies or half truths
Things to Add For Lent
- Reading your Bible
- Reading a Bible study or daily devotions
- Praying (or a specific daily prayer)
- Going to church
- Memorizing Scripture
- Reading a Christian book
- Watching Christian movies or TV shows
- Calling your parents or grandparents
- Doing 40 random acts of kindness
- Writing cards to the sick, elderly, or military
What I’m Giving Up for Lent in 2023
Personally, I typically choose to ADD new good habits, rather than giving something up for Lent.
Ever since I married into a Catholic family, I’ve spent the last 13+ years learning more about what Catholics believe and why, so rather than figuring out what to give up for Lent, I typically look for ways to help me learn more.
For example:
- In 2018, 2019, and 2020, I read through the Catholic Catechism* each year during Lent. (It’s a big book!)
- In 2021, I chose to spend significantly less time on email and social media (namely Facebook and Instagram).
- In 2022, I chose to read the three books on early Church History / the writings of the Early Church Fathers.
- In 2022, I’m reading through the NLT Chronological Bible (this was one of my New Year’s Resolutions), and I’ll finish one of the books from last year I didn’t get all the way through.
*This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, I may make a small commission at no additional cost to you. This helps cover the many costs of running this site and allows me to help provide for my growing family.
Still Deciding What to Give Up for Lent? Grab Your Lent Worksheet!
Don’t forget to grab your free printable “What Should You Give Up for Lent” Worksheet PDF so you can choose the one or two Lent sacrifice ideas that will make the most difference for you.
Not only will it help you choose between the best things to give up for Lent for you personally, but it will also help you determine what your biggest spiritual struggles are right now AND how to overcome them.
This printable “What Should I Give Up For Lent” Worksheet PDF is free.
Just let me know where to send it!
Are you giving something up for Lent in 2023? What are you going to give up for Lent in 2023? What other good things to give up for Lent have you chosen in the past?
Don’t forget to check out these other fantastic Lent resources as well:
![What to Give Up for Lent 2021: Get the 50 [Best] Lent Ideas!](https://equippinggodlywomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/What-Can-You-Eat-During-Lent-blog-600x375.jpg)
Please explain number 5 on the list? How do you give up Lent for Lent I think I am missing something.
Yeah, I can see how that would be confusing. #5 is taken from the section on “The Most Popular Things to Give up for Lent” — according to Twitter. I assume they were being facetious with that one. That’s why I also included an extra 10 ideas at the bottom of the post, so you’ll still have plenty of ideas to choose from. 🙂
Our pastor made a suggestion this past Sunday. Although we as a denomination do not observe lent by giving something up he suggested that we give up something God wants us to give up: like gossiping, drunkenness, hurtful speech, etc. or add something God wants us to do: like helping the poor, serving at church, practicing hospitality, etc. I grew up Catholic and always liked the lenten practice. But I like this way of observing even better.
I love this idea from your Pastor! Thank you for sharing!