Lent, a time for giving up one’s unhealthy addictions or a
tradition ready to be given up? With this holiday now well underway the hot
topic amongst friends is what is being ditched this year (alongside bets on who
will succeed). However, the question now is, are lent’s days over?
In Britain, the majority of the population celebrate the
religious holidays of Christmas and Easter whether they are religious or not.
These occasions become more and more popular every year with over the top
decorations and impressive gift giving. So why has lent taken a different turn?
It seems whilst
Christmas and Easter have enjoyable traditions that come with them such as
Santa Clause and egg rolling, lent‘s lack of ‘fun’ rituals could be making it a
dying affair. Of course there are still a number of people who partake in the
forty days and forty nights of self-inflicted struggling. Whether it be for
religious reasons or the challenge, there is something to gain from
participating in lent. However, the difference between the number of people who
celebrate Christmas compared to the number who do lent is like day and night.
For example, a recent online study shows that practicing Catholics are the most
prepared to take lent seriously, with 63% of them claiming to take part in the
holiday. However, the study also showed that only 10% of people born between
1946 and 1964 participate, but what’s the bet that the other 90% still
celebrate Christmas and Easter? And more importantly, do the other 90% still
celebrate Shrove Tuesday with pancakes?
Every Shrove Tuesday social media is flooded by pictures of
pancakes piled high, covered in a variety of scrumptious delights, whether the
publisher is taking part in lent or not. This part of lent was meant to be a
kind of ‘last supper’ for the people who were now going to begin their forty
days of fasting, so why do people get so excited for pancake day and not lent?
Obviously the answer to that is in the question. People love pancakes. But
surely there is something that can be done to make lent more appealing.
It’s clear that the tradition of fasting during lent is
wearing thin. According to this year’s lent orientated tweets, chocolate is yet
again the most popular guilty pleasure to be forgone, with ironically, twitter,
as a close second. However, just like dieting and going to the gym, when
someone says they will give something up for lent, they do not always go
through with it. So should the public be encouraged to get as involved in lent
as they do with the other two celebrations? Surely it wouldn’t be a bad thing
to advertise a holiday that encourages you to be healthier and better yourself
rather than dig yourself into debt and diabetes?
Every obstacle in life is easier to overcome if there is
evidence of others going through the same thing. When I first attempted lent, I
decided to give up my all-time favourite thing, chocolate. How original.
However, if it were not for my friends and families encouragement and
participation, I would have caved and eaten the whole of Tesco’s Easter egg
section in a day. I was lucky to have people around me giving support and
praise, but of course not everyone has that. The whole procedure in fact would
have been easier and more enjoyable if there was more evidence of others doing
the same thing.
Adverts these days are comprised of products and celebrities
using these products. Very few people would honestly be able to say that they
have not purchased something simply because a celebrity they like endorsed that
product. So, why not put these celebrities to better use. Why not have these
celebrities endorse a healthy holiday instead of the latest lipstick or shaver.
A few simple television adverts could make a lot of
difference to this dying tradition. If the public saw their favourite
celebrities giving up something they love for lent it would inspire others to
join in and take it a little more seriously.
It’s only forty days and forty nights. Jesus did it.
