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I have made it my custom, to each year, give something up for Lent (The 40 days prior to Easter).  
 
This year, I will be giving up many social media outlets which I frequently use. These are:  
 
Facebook:  
Snapchat:  
Twitter: and  
Ebrandon  
 
This will all begin tonight at around 22:30 hours as Lent begins tomorrow. So between now and then, I am interested in knowing what other people will be giving up / not indulging in for the next 40 days.

I will be giving up Facebook too, but I'm also going to follow a modified version of this (modified because I'm still nursing and technically exempt, but I'm nursing a toddler so I think I can hack at least some of it):  
 
" According to the 1983 Code of Canon Law, the rule for the universal Church during Lent is abstain on all Fridays (inside or outside of Lent) and to both fast and abstain on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.  
 
Some traditional Catholics might follow the older pattern of fasting and abstinence during this time, which for the universal Church required:  
 
 
Ash Wednesday, all Fridays, and all Saturdays: fasting and total abstinence. This means 3 meatless meals -- with the two smaller meals not equalling in size the main meal of the day -- and no snacking.  
 
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays (except Ash Wednesday), and Thursdays: fasting and partial abstinence from meat. This means three meals -- with the two smaller meals not equalling in size the main meal of the day -- and no snacking, but meat can be eaten at the principle meal.  
 
On those days of fasting and abstinence, meatless soup is traditional (see recipes). Sundays, of course, are always free of fasting and abstinence; even in the heart of Lent, Sundays are about the glorious Resurrection. This pattern of fasting and abstinence ends after the Vigil Mass of Holy Saturday.  
 
As to special Lenten foods, vegetables, seafoods, salads, pastas, and beans mark the Season, in addition to the meatless soups. The fasting of this time once even precluded the eating of eggs and fats, so the chewy pretzel became the bread and symbol of the times. They'd always been a Christian food, ever since Roman times, their very shape being the creation of monks. The three holes represent the Holy Trinity, and the twists of the dough represent the arms of someone praying. In fact, the word "pretzel" is a German word deriving ultimately from the Latin "bracellae," meaning "little arms" (the Vatican has the oldest known representation of a pretzel, found on a 5th c. manuscript). Below is a recipe for the large, soft, chewy pretzels that go so well with beer: "  
 
from http://www.fisheaters.com/customslent1.html

All the best of luck to you and anybody else who will be making changes during this season of Lent.  
 
Talk to you all in 40 days!

A few years ago, my sister was trying to lose that last ten pounds. She announced that she was giving up chocolate for Lent. Those around her quit putting those tempting items at work or in social situations and she successfully lost those last ten pounds.  
 
The funny part of this story is that she follows the Jewish Torah as her vehicle of faith.

One year, for Lent, I gave up washing dishes. After a while it became clear I needed a dishwasher and one was promptly purchased. :-)  
 
This year I am trying to find something to sacrifice that will make a significant difference and cause me to think of WHY we sacrifice something for Lent.  
 
I'd give up chocolate but that isn't a sacrifice as I am allergic to it. I think I will give up eating any junk food or candy. If it comes in a package that crinkles? It's out.

I will be drinking only lent beer.

Not giving up anything for Lent.

And I'm back. LOL.  
 
What did I miss?

For lent but I had a shot of ice tea

I'm going to give up silly religious beliefs. Ops did that years ago so I guess I'm good.

Just an aside: is your sister in the Brandon area? I've been wondering if there are people in this area who follow the Torah

Gof said "I'm going to give up silly religious beliefs. Ops did that years ago so I guess I'm good. "

Well in that case, you would have no reason to even view this thread. Happy Easter by the way. :-)  
 
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