Here's What to Give up for Lent (And When to Start) By Brie Dyas of Country Living | Lent is a special time of reflection and faith, practiced in prayer and by the act of giving up something. That“something” depends on the person observing Lent, with the main guidelines being that it has to be something that’s challenging to give up during this period. (In other words, giving up chores wouldn’t fit the bill.) For Western Christian Churches that observe the church year, Lent starts on Ash Wednesday (February 17). For many denominations, this begins what the church considers the"forty day fast within Lent"—the 40 days leading up to Easter Sunday (April 4). But the 40 days aren’t as straightforward in regards to timing. For one, you’ll notice that there are actually 46 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. This is because the Sundays of Lent aren’t“prescribed days of fast and abstinence” by the church. Basically, it means that it’s up to the individual to continue abstaining from the item or act of their choosing on Sundays.