Forum Topic

What to give up for Lent ?

Are there a few selfish useless luxuries and indulgent habits which we should consider giving up for Lent? If so, what are they?

Gerry Tan ● 4358d21 Comments

Made it through Lent with no booze or biscuits (succumbed to chocolate though).Also kept my Lenten promise not to launch a scathing verbal riposte on the boorish Tony Purton who, thankfully, has been quiet of late

Nigel Brooks ● 4303d

My food shelves have fewer cans of beans over their Best Before date - we had a couple of chilli sin carnes and beans on toast made a surprisingly welcome return to the menu.  The walnuts are about to go in a banana an walnut loaf.  I've still got a few more dried pulses to use up to get up to date.I tried hard and it was an interesting test of self-control.  However I did inadvertently buy something in Angela Malik's for supper and a rare beef baguette in M&S for lunch during the period.

Philippa Bond ● 4304d

Bless you, but there's one remaining sin I can't conquer - try as I might - and that is my gluttony. I just love eating.

Gerry Tan ● 4349d

Who's a Catholic (large or small 'c')? Certainly not I.

Nigel Brooks ● 4349d

Am very impressed there are so many good practising catholics on the forum!

S. D. Brock ● 4349d

I've been struggling with this. I'm supposed to give some indulgence up.  Show that I can have self-discipline.Chocolate, cake, biscuits etc I tend not to eat anyway.  Alcohol I'm not fussed about. I don't smoke.http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/lent.htmlApparently it is a time for spring cleaning too.  Well that is a constant that I could put a bit more effort into but it is not denying myself something.  Apart from the obvious and giving up the computer - I think I shall probably try and stick with the food management.  I shall try and not buy much new food and make the extra effort needed to use up food in the fridge and the cupboard which is  still there probably because I don't like it very much or it is a hassle to cook.Hilary Benn when Minister wanted to scrap the Best Before date but unfortunately it was just the Sell By date that went.  What a shame.  So much food is wasted unnecessarily because people don't understand the labelling.http://www.foodanddrinkeurope.com/Retail/UK-scraps-sell-by-dates-on-food-productshttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/8764091/New-rules-scrap-sell-by-date.htmlAnd the NHS one is particularly good for the info on eggs.  They have a Best Before date but you don't have to use them before that only if you don't you should cook them until both yolk and white are solid.  So don't waste them - bake with them!http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Goodfood/Pages/food-labelling-terms.aspx#dis

Philippa Bond ● 4351d

I'm giving up chocolate and cake.  BUT I have to eat my Charbonnel & Walker ginger thins bought for my birthday first - gobble, gobble!

Diane Gill ● 4352d

It is easier nowadays to indulge because we can buy on credit.Do you remember saving up for things? Sometimes by the time we got the money we didn't want them any more and sometimes we couldn't buy them then anyway because they had already been sold.  Disappointing perhaps but not the end of the world!  And if you'd saved hard to buy something then you valued it more.We kept things to hand on to our children starting up on their own only today they just expect to go out and buy themselves something new...  on credit...  because they can.Buying on credit allows us to buy thoughtlessly and indulgently and fill our lives up with "stuff" we don't really need and don't really value and look after.I'm on a food management drive at the moment using up things in the cupboard which are nearing or are just over their Best Before date.  There is a line of cans in front of the cupboards which need recipes to go with them. Make sure you know what the labelling really means: http://food.gov.uk/about-us/about-the-fsa/faqsconsumer/bestbeforeuseby#.UxWwl_l_t7s

Philippa Bond ● 4354d

I've been giving some thoughts about Lent and answering my own questions about indulgences, I must give up eating too much pudding like sticky syrup sponge with double cream, tiramsu and bread'n butter with custsard and I never need to hit the cheeses like stinking bishop and stilton with biccies, celery and grapes - they're none of them good for my colesterol. Finally, I can't resist buying new shirts - silk and Egyptian cotton ones, wool country shirts - I've got dozens which I don't wear! Just selfish and indulgent.

Gerry Tan ● 4354d

Thanks Jack, Got a feeling I shall be rather 'vocal' until Wednesday! :-)

Nigel Brooks ● 4357d

Nigel I will be watching you very closely when Lent starts :)

Jack Ryan ● 4357d

Some would doubt whether QPR counts as football :-)

Graham Weeks ● 4357d

Tracey, you could 'give up giving up' :-)

Nigel Brooks ● 4357d

I shall be giving up the same thing as I did for my NY resolution, absolutely nothing, as I know I won't get beyond 2 or 3 days

Tracey Mehdizadeh ● 4357d

So you're back on (well, not off) the lash then?  A wise decision. :-)I don't normally give up anything for lent but in deference to my cycling friends here on the forum I am going to try and give up complaining about cyclists riding on the pavement.  :-)(And no, I am not Tony Purton's second account! :-) )

Tony Colliver ● 4357d

Peter I wished I had done same but tricky after 40 odd years of watching the r's to give it up!

Simon Wycombe ● 4357d

So you did totally give up football then! - sorry couldn't resist as a Brentford fan.

Nigel Brooks ● 4358d

Jack, what a great idea. I normally give up three things, so this year it's biscuits, chocolate and Purton - brilliant.

Nigel Brooks ● 4358d

I think we should all ignore any comments made by Tony Purton  about cyclists on pavements but I dont think Nigel will have the will power to ignore him :)

Jack Ryan ● 4358d

Last year I gave up football, but continued to occupy my seat at QPR

Peter Chadburn ● 4358d

Biscuits, chocolate and alcohol for me.

Nigel Brooks ● 4358d