Lent, from the Middle English word Lenten, meaning springtime - the time of lengthening days, is a period of forty days of fasting, prayer, and penitence before Easter. There is biblical support for doing penance, but the season of Lent, like all Catholic liturgical seasons, developed over time. The adherence of Lent is related to the celebration of Easter.
In the first three centuries of the Christian era, most Christians equipped for Easter by fasting and praying for three days. In some places this was extended to the intact week before Easter. Traditionally, Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends at sundown on Holy Thursday.
Since this is more than forty days, some argue that Sundays are not counted and Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday are. Others say that Lent begins on the First Sunday of Lent and Ash Wednesday and the relax of that week are a pre-Lent. No one is unerringly sure how Ash Wednesday became the first day of Lent.
Many Catholics were qualified as children to "give up something" for Lent. The sacrifices in Lent are really penance, in the same spirit as the Ninehvites that repented at the preaching of Jonah. All over our history, Christians have found prayer, fasting, and almsgiving to be a vital part of repentance and renewal. Many Christians now add rather during Lent rather than giving up something, either to address personal habits that need work or to add several outreach to others in need. It is not necessary to "give up something" but it would be a tragedy to do nothing.
The Catholic Church, in an attempt to help Catholics do at least a minimum during Lent, asks all Catholics to fast and abstain from meat on certain days. Fasting means to limit food to one full meal a day with the opportunity of two smaller meals as needed. Abstinence means not eating meat, although fish is allowed. Catholics 14 years of age or older are to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and all the Fridays of Lent. Catholics between the ages of 14 and 59 are also to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. If one's work or fitness make it inadvisable fast or abstain from meat, they are not compelled to do so.