# What are you doing for Lent? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 27, 2011, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-doing-for-lent/572834 "2011-02-27T20:16:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-doing-for-lent/572834/41 "2011-03-01T23:02:16Z")
I’ll probably do the meatless Friday’s too. I don’t know why people consider not abstaining on Sunday to be cheating. The 40 days of Lent do not include Sundays. According to the Book of Common Prayer (Episcopal), p. 17, “All Sundays of the year are feasts of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Further down, it says,4. Days of Special Devotion The following days are observed by special acts of discipline and self-denial: - Ash Wednesday and the other **weekdays** of Lent and of Holy Week, except the feast of the Annunciation. - Good Friday and all other Fridays of the year, in commemoration of the Lord’s crucifixion, except for Fridays in the Christmas and Easter seasons, and any Feasts of our Lord which occur on a Friday. Bolding mine. So the “no Sundays” is not a loophole; it’s part of the liturgical calendar, at least for Anglicans. Maybe Catholic rules are different but I don’t think so. ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-doing-for-lent/572834/42 "2011-03-02T01:38:40Z")
Catholic rules are the same- Sundays are always a feast day, and not included in the 40 days of Lent. I have two little kids. I’m hoping that daily Rosary will make me into a _much_ calmer and more patient Mom. That will be miraculous. When I gave up the internet the amount of time I had was staggering. Now I think if I gave it up I’d be reading \*Chicka Chicka Boom Boom \* an average of 400 times a day. Not a bad thing, necessarily, but I know if I do that and go veggie I’ll flounder and then give up. I will try to restrict internet time more. For spiritual reading I might read the Catechism. My husband’s read the whole thing but I’ve only read sections. I’d like to re-read _The Practise of the Presence of God_ because it’s short, but maybe something else will occur to me before next week. ---
**Author:** ![gardentraveler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gardentraveler/32/3576_2.png) [@gardentraveler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gardentraveler)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-doing-for-lent/572834/43 "2011-03-02T01:44:43Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > …Not a Christian but something about this time of year seems better for self improvement than a New Years Resolution. I think it’s the fact that you have a very well-defined period of time to practice the discipline. The last couple of years, I’ve tried to follow the [Fast, Pray, Give](http://www.bustedhalo.com/features/fast-pray-give) calendar over at [bustedhalo.com](http://bustedhalo.com). It’s aimed at young adults, but I find it’s a good kick-start for Lent and forces me to think about this every day. [Sacred Space](http://sacredspace.ie/), a site developed by Irish Jesuits, generally has good Lenten links as well. Haven’t really given Lent much thought yet, though… ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-doing-for-lent/572834/44 "2011-03-02T03:08:02Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > Some folks - especially ones who adopt Lenten discipline for non-religious reasons - might be unaware of this, so as a reminder: SUNDAYS DON’T COUNT. Sunday is always a feast day. I know they are not, just as I know Holy Saturday isn’t either, but I can’t bring myself to drink the Coke, eat the pizza or candy or whatever, until Easter Sunday. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-doing-for-lent/572834/45 "2011-03-02T03:21:05Z")
Well not “cheating” so much as it defeats the purpose of self-denial if you give up candy but gorge yourself on Sundays. ---
**Author:** ![TravisFromOR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cc9497/32.png) [@TravisFromOR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TravisFromOR)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-doing-for-lent/572834/46 "2011-03-02T04:01:31Z")
I’m a serious Mtn Dew addict. Think I’ll be giving that up. (I’ll still have coffee though–it’s not cheating, 'cause I drink it black-no sugar.) ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-doing-for-lent/572834/47 "2011-03-02T05:00:22Z")
> [@TravisFromOR](#): > > I’m a serious Mtn Dew addict. Think I’ll be giving that up. (I’ll still have coffee though–it’s not cheating, 'cause I drink it black-no sugar.) I read that as, “I’m a serious meth addict” and was all, “well, good luck to you.” ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-doing-for-lent/572834/48 "2011-03-02T05:24:15Z")
For many, many years, I’ve given up all alcohol. For the last three years, I’ve also gone on the wagon at the end of the last Bowl Game on Jan 1 to the Super Bowl, leaving a one month window in February, more or less. Maybe this year I’ll give it up altogether. Probably not, a beer or two after golf is too hard to pass up, especially on a warm day in April. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Onimous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ea5d25/32.png) [@Ann\_Onimous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Onimous)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-doing-for-lent/572834/49 "2011-03-02T05:47:40Z")
I haven’t decided yet. I’m having a really tough time making up my mind this year. ---
**Author:** ![moejoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@moejoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moejoe)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-doing-for-lent/572834/50 "2011-03-02T07:19:58Z")
> [@Ann\_Onimous](#): > > I haven’t decided yet. I’m having a really tough time making up my mind this year. Maybe you could give up vacillating? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-doing-for-lent/572834/51 "2011-03-02T09:55:08Z")
I’m thinking of giving up the sofa (including soft armchairs). ---
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-doing-for-lent/572834/52 "2011-03-02T15:59:13Z")
Sorry to be constantly asking questions, but for those of you who give something up, what do you do with the money saved? Is it normal or even expected to donate that money to charity? ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-doing-for-lent/572834/53 "2011-03-02T19:02:15Z")
Yes, it is. We’ll be giving some of the extra to charity. I’m trying to figure out how to involve my 3-year old- maybe take him out to buy some food with the excess and donate it to a food bank? ---
**Author:** ![TravisFromOR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cc9497/32.png) [@TravisFromOR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TravisFromOR)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-doing-for-lent/572834/54 "2011-03-02T19:59:34Z")
Or I could apply my New Years Resolution philosophy to Lent. Several years ago, I gave up making New Years Resolutions as my New Years Resolution–I’m the only person I know who’s kept the resolution for longer than three months. Maybe I could give up abstaining for Lent? ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-doing-for-lent/572834/55 "2011-03-02T22:30:01Z")
> [@villa](#): > > Sorry to be constantly asking questions, but for those of you who give something up, what do you do with the money saved? Is it normal or even expected to donate that money to charity? I don’t usually save any money but I 'take up" donating diapers and baby supplies to the Phoenix Crisis Center to help out needy children. ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-doing-for-lent/572834/56 "2011-03-02T23:05:58Z")
Our church has been called to fast over lent - but everyone gets to define their own regime. I’ll be fasting 2 days a week, but I have to balance it with a fairly heavy exercise schedule, so protein shakes will be allowed (to prevent muscle loss). And it will end a few days early as we fly to NZ before Easter arrives to see family. Si ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2011, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-doing-for-lent/572834/57 "2011-03-03T08:07:56Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > Not a Christian but something about this time of year seems better for self improvement than a New Years Resolution. I think it’s more of a natural start of the year than January 1st for people in the Northern Hemisphere, as the beginning of Spring weather usually falls sometime during Lent… thereabouts of September is another good point for that sort of thing, specially if you have kids. ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2011, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-doing-for-lent/572834/58 "2011-03-03T18:59:27Z")
That makes sense. End of winter/beginning of spring (for some of you lucky people. It’s -10 here today). ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2011, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-doing-for-lent/572834/59 "2011-03-03T22:09:35Z")
> [@villa](#): > > Sorry to be constantly asking questions, but for those of you who give something up, what do you do with the money saved? Is it normal or even expected to donate that money to charity? It’s ok to ask. If you don’t ask, we might not think about it. It depends. In the middle ages housewives were not allowed to use Lent or other fastdays as an excuse to be cheap about feeding the servants. Nowadays, when eating fish might cost more than eating chicken, you might not be saving any money. But people who give up specific habits (like coke or cigarettes) often do donate that money-not-spent to worthy causes. Giving Up bad: I think I’m giving up chicken-cow-pig meat for Lent, and alcohol. I’m thinking about giving up sodapop as well, but that might be too ambitious in my current level of stress. Taking On good: I need to figure out how much I’ve been spending on wine in the past few months and donate that amount to the local food bank. Or maybe I should drop a five dollar bill in a jar everytime I want a cocktail and then give that amount to the food bank. I may steal the Psalm-a-day idea someone posted upthread. ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-doing-for-lent/572834/60 "2011-03-04T02:01:33Z")
Stop eating like a f+$%3ng pig. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-doing-for-lent/572834.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-doing-for-lent/572834.md?page=4)