Deciding What to Give Up for Lent? 100 Best Ideas for 2025
Wondering what to give up for Lent 2025?
If so, you’re in luck!
Today, I’m sharing the 100 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’ Lent ideas.
Why bother giving up chocolate or soda if it won’t make a real difference?
And you definitely don’t want to pick something awkward that you’ll be embarrassed to share with others…
No, as you decide 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 year.
So, whether you’re wondering, “What do people give up for Lent?” “What can I give up for Lent this year?” or “What should I give up for Lent 2025?” you’ll find tons of helpful Lent ideas right here!
Table of Contents
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, March 5, 2025 (Ash Wednesday) and ends on Thursday, April 17, 2025 (Holy Thursday).
Why Do We Celebrate Lent?
Christians celebrate Lent to remember, reflect on, and prepare their hearts for the coming Easter season, which commemorates 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 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 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 fast and practice abstinence from meat according to these Catholic Lenten Fasting Rules).
Rather, many 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 and reduce the temptation to sin.
What Should You Give Up for Lent? (Let’s Find Out!)
Instead of picking something random from a list, why not choose the option that will give you the biggest impact?
Take the “What Should You Give Up for Lent?” self-assessment and discover your biggest opportunities for growth this year.
It’s 100% free. Just let me know where to send it!
When is Lent?
This year, Lent begins on Wednesday, March 5, 2025 (Ash Wednesday) and ends on Thursday, April 17, 2025 (Holy Thursday).
Technically, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday are not counted within the 40 days of Lent. Additionally, Sundays are not included in Lent, as they are considered “Feast Days” on the Roman Catholic liturgical calendar.
While most people choose to give something up from Ash Wednesday until Easter Sunday morning, some choose to 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. Protestants can observe Lent, too. Lent is 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 (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%).”
Related Reading: 40 Short Daily Lenten Prayers for Spiritual Renewal
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 in 2023 (according to Twitter) were:
- alcohol
- social networking
- Lent
- chocolate
- swearing
- coffee
- soda
- drinking water
- sweets
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.
OpenBible.info 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 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 the 100 BEST things to give up for Lent 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 2025
Alright, ready to dive in? Without further ado, here are the 100 best things to give up for Lent for adults in 2025.
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 year.
10 Best Things to Give Up for Lent 2025
- 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)
10 Meaningful Things to Give Up for Lent
- Anger
- Unforgiveness
- Comparison
- Worrying
- Gossipping
- Stress eating
- Nagging
- Complaining
- Critical self-talk
- Avoiding difficult conversations
Up for a 40-Day Lent Prayer Challenge?
Did you know: Instead of giving something up for Lent, you can choose to add a new spiritual practice instead?
If you want to be more intentional with your prayer life, grab this Lent Prayers printable PDF and put it somewhere you’ll see it often.
This handy cheat sheet contains 40 quick daily prayers for Lent plus a handy checklist. It’s yours free. Where should I sent it?
10 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
10 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!)
10 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
10 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 8 pm
- A specific food group (bread, cheese, sugar)
- Needing to have the final word
- Having to have things your way
10 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
10 Things to Give Up for Lent (Catholic)
- Eating meat (Check out these 50 Lent recipes)
- 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
10 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
10 Things to Add For Lent
- Reading your Bible
- Reading a Bible study or daily devotions
- Praying (Check out these 40 daily Lenten prayers)
- 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’ve Given Up for Lent in the Past
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* (1/3 each year) during Lent.
- In 2021, I spent significantly less time on email and social media (namely Facebook and Instagram).
- In 2022, I read three books on early Church History / the writings of the Early Church Fathers.
- In 2023, I read the entire NLT Chronological Bible (this was one of my New Year’s Resolutions), and I finished one of the Early Church Fathers books I didn’t get all the way through the year before.
- In 2024, I intentionally chose rest, which was difficult, but much needed.
*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 This Lent?
Take the “What Should You Give Up for Lent?” self-assessment and choose the option that’ll make the most difference for you!
Discover your biggest spiritual struggles, create a plan to overcome them, AND choose the perfect thing to give up for Lent.
It’s 100% free. Just let me know where to send it!
Are you giving something up for Lent in 2025? What will you give up? What have you given up 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!
Wow, I didn't know all of that! I've heard various things about Lent, but I never really paid attention to it. That might change this year!
So glad to hear that this article was helpful to you!
Love this list of Lent ideas! As a Catholic, I struggle every year to come up with meaningful sacrifices. These suggestions are really helpful in showing me what to give up and why. Thank you for sharing!
So glad to hear that the list is helpful for you!