Lent is a wonderful time of the year: a time for reflection and sacrifice, a time to start over and focus on your prayer life, and a time for Friday fish frys! It’s right around the corner but you’re scratching your head… what should you give up this year? Chocolate’s been done before! Here are 101 Creative Ideas to Give up for Lent!
- Get up earlier to read scripture and pray
- Focus on the positive instead of the negative!
- Don’t complain! Bite your tongue and offer it up.
- Give up doing your hair before church…Consider veiling!
- Fast from social media, the modern day “chocolate” that Catholics give up for Lent
- Forgo Condiments. (Think Mayo-less deviled eggs)
- Enjoying nap time: when your kids go down for a snooze, keep moving and get stuff done!
- Go to weekly confession
- Put your phone on vibrate except for certain times of the day
- Only drink water
- Cut the sweets!
- Eliminate screen time one day per week
- For one hour per day, turn off all the lights and screens (but maybe not the heater if it’s necessary!)
- Go the minimalist route and purge something every day
- Kick the habit of swearing to the door!
- Stop saying the Lord’s name in vain (Oh my God/ gosh)
- Give up alcohol…just consider first if no wine for 40 days would actually make you a better person! 😉
- Go out of you way for your neighbors
- Do one nice thing for someone else every day
- Make a list of people to pray for daily and follow up with them to see how they’re doing
- Make it a point to tithe more by saving up in a different area of your life
- Bring a meal to a family going through a rough time or an elderly neighbor, etc
- Netflix: Watch Formed.org instead!
- Give up gaming
- Make time for the things that matter like prayer, rest, and quality family time
- Give up the microwave and get creative with reheating in pots and pans!
- Stop eating out
- Become a vegetarian-friendly house for Lent
- Only spend money on necessary groceries and toilet paper
- Give up Amazon Prime
- Spend no money whatsoever during Lent! Stockpile groceries and get creative cooking from nothing as Lent goes on
- Give up sitting in your favorite spot on the couch or sleeping with a pillow
- Put a small pebble in your shoe daily that will bother you just enough to remind you to pray
- Give up warm showers
- Wash all laundry by hand
- Start washing all dishes by hand
- Think before speaking
- Start a system of sacrifice by giving up the best parking spot for someone else and saving the last cookie for your kids
- Use only cash to make purchases
- Only call or use email; no texting!
- Give up caffeine… this may or may not be the best Lent ever 😉
- Help through a service project or shelter
- Pray in front of an abortion clinic once per week
- Give up paper plates and paper towels: go green!
- Forgo blow drying your hair. Brr!
- Give up makeup: “You’re never fully dressed without a smile!” (Annie)
- Stop yelling and change your parenting style
- Give up mirrors
- Avoid hitting the snooze button. Good luck!!
- Stop using elevators
- Make it a point to listen better and ask questions
- Stop in the church for Adoration for an hour every week
- Collect loose change in a jar to donate at the end of Lent
- Put aside money you would normally spend on something else (i.e. eating out, coffee fix) and give it to a worthy charity
- Give to someone you know is in need without them knowing it is from you
- Give of your time! Tutor for free for a family in need
- Collect groceries for the elderly
- Make care packages for the homeless and deliver them. Spend time with them in prayer
- Volunteer at the church
- Donate a bag of stuff that isn’t “stuff you can’t use,” but “stuff you don’t use” so it’s still good quality for those who need it
- Give up coffee!
- Give up chocolate
- Stop listening to music in the car (or a specific type of music)
- No gossiping
- Avoid checking your phone when around other people
- Only eat raw foods
- Stop snacking between meals
- Fast from using emojis
- Stop ignoring strangers and smile at everyone your meet
- Make a list of 40 people in your life and pray for them each day of Lent
- Make morning and nightly prayer a habit
- Say the rosary daily
- Start saying the Divine Mercy Novena at 3 p.m. everyday
- Attend daily Mass
- Go to Adoration daily
- Sacrifice something 10 times per day
- Instead of 30 minutes of TV time, do 30 extra minutes of devotion/prayer time
- Get up early to read the Daily Readings
- Write letters to God daily or journal
- Do an examination of conscience nightly
- Read a spiritual or devotional book
- Start a novena
- Ask for forgiveness from someone you have wronged
- Light a candle at church and pray for those dying with sin
- Spend time with the elderly talking about Jesus and love
- Say the Stations of the Cross
- Ask a friend/ family member everyday if you can pray with them
- After you talk to someone ask how you can pray for them
- Greet people by saying “Peace be with you!” and leave them by saying “God bless you!”
- Sleep a full 8 hours every night!
- Spend time in silence with God for ten minutes everyday
- Clean and declutter your home and garage
- Do everything on your “Honey Do” list or anything that’s broken around your home
- Clean out your email inbox
- Read through the Gospel of John
- Spend $10 less on groceries and give it to those in need
- Give up carbs
- Have dinner with your family every night
- Do a glitter craft with kids (kidding, not kidding)
- Give up slang words
- Stop wearing your contacts; just use glasses
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