Hey folks. I've been pretty open with my Catholicism on these boards - though I am going to highly request that this not turn into a religon debate/critique thread that'll get shut down - and even though the Church doesn't still require it, I still "give up something for Lent" (as well as work on doing something good/improving a vice). Those of you who aren't Catholic may wonder what I mean and basically: from Ash Wednesday until Easter morning, there is something I "give up" (i.e.: sacrifice doing something I love). Realizing I can be a bit of a spendthrift - a vice I should work on anyway - I've decided I should 'give up' one of my "spendier" hobbies. I had initially figured comics - something I've given up for Lent in the past (and it is almost like an addict going through withdrawals ) - but as I purchase from a comic shop that has to ship to me, I would still be spending the money and having the comics sent out to me (and then just having them pile up for the time period) as it wouldn't be fair to my comic's seller for me to just up and go, "Oh. Cancel all my purchases - that you've already ordered - until Easter". That leaves minis (Heroclix, Horrourclix and D&D) or Cards (VS and Magic: Online). The next forty days will see the following for each:

*Minis: Heroclix - Origins (a set I've really anticipated)
Horrourclix - The Alien Queen and the Predators
D&D - Unhallowed (with Ravenloft figures!)

*CCGs: VS - Marvel Team-Up (fun set with lots of old favourites)
Magic: Online - New expansin release and the only game I get to play against actual opponents anymore.

So realizing this is a Heroclix forum - and if I remember to log onto the VS forum I'll post a similar thread but my forum time usually ends up here - but that I also respect the opinions of lots of you folks, any thoughts or philosophies that would help make my decision easier?

(And to anyone who thinks this is silly or a load of hooey, so noted, now please move on)

Give up cards....You might miss out on Origins if you don't get it now...VS doesn't tell to "sell out" as fast as Clix might. Plus we have the pre-release and the Marquee....all before Easter. Those are TWO HUGE EVENTS!

Can't you just give up eating?

Also, is it really giving up something when you just postpone your purchases for six weeks?

I don't know if I can really give any valid advice but if it were me, I'd give up the minis. The reason being that cards don't really appeal to me so it wouldn't really be giving anything up if I went without them.

For you, I might go with the minis as well. You've listed three things for minis while only two for cards (silly to just go by numbers I know but I'm stretching here). And one of the cards one you listed says you won't be able to play with other people so in some ways you'll be taking away from them as well. So maybe giving up minis will have more meaning and not impact others as much.

They are...but I never get to attend them due to not living anywhere near a city (and only going into a city when I'm working as a physician so not exactly a good time-schedule for gaming ). So I already miss out on those two events (which is why I didn't list them).

Emp - Give up eating? That a hint you'd like me dead? As for the "postponing" versus "giving up", I guess you could say pretty much most Lenten "give ups/sacrifices" are "postponements" as you just do them for the weeks of Lent; that's why you also (or at least as I was taught) try to improve on a vice and work at doing something good as well (which you should do year round, agreed but just like New Year's Resolutions spur people on briefly so do Lenten resolutions).

[Edit: Hmm...and with this I hit post 2000; well, guess it's better than posting a thread saying "My 2000th Post!" ]

As Lent is about giving up something mirroring the 40 day/40 night fast of Jesus, you probably should give up something not because it's cheaper, but because you feel that in the end it'll remind you of the trials and tribulations endured by Jesus.

For me personally (well if I was a Catholic) it's a no brainer, give up the minis since I don't collect cards. But for those that do both, it's more about what do you think makes you better.

Conversely you could do volunteer work for a charity or something similar, I've known a few people that gone that route, giving of their time, instead of the symbolic fast.

Nah, I'm not that subtle.
If it can be considered as a hint it means that I would cut back on my expenses for food before giving up my toys.

Can't you take up smoking and then give up that?

I had a friend do that once...she wasn't the best Catholic in the world, but she earns points for creativty!!!

I gotta go with Kontrol though - you gotta give up what is going to hurt the most. I think that is what the point is...so, which is gonna hurt more?

When I was religious (barely, at that), I gave up choclate. Or something like that.

I wouldn't give up 'Clix. If I was in your position, I'd say give up cards. They'll still be there, unlike Origins.

Well, as you note it isn't the "cheaper route" (which is why I didn't mention price) but the one that is the bigger sacrifice...I guess I'm just split which one I'd miss more of and figured fellow fans would help me decide which would be the more exciting "hobby" for the next few months...and then I'll give up that one (odd as that may sound). MOney, not to sound snotty, isn't an issue for me so it doesn't really factor into any decision.

Plus as I mentioned, in addition to giving up something I truely enjoy (and helps keep me sane) I do work on a vice and also put forth to do extra "good deeds" and "goals" during this time period (e.g. - I'll probably be doing more pro-bono work during this time period even though I'm already pretty time crunched).

Thank you though - all of you - for the thoughts. I appreciate the advice.

are you giving up playing or buying? if it is playing, you could give up minis, but still be able to buy the queen and origins but not play them, wait that would be torture, go for it.

Rokk, I keep trying to come up with suggestions, but they all end up either trying to be sneaky (buy a set, have someone else hold it until easter, then open it!) or coldly reasoned (factor the cost of a purchase vs. the enjoyment derived from said purchase, eliminate the set with the highest cost to lowest enjoyment ratio)

It probably doesn't help much, but in the end I say go with your gut. Try to clear your mind of marketing hooplah (easier said than done, I know), ask yourself what you should give up for Lent and follow that answer. 'Cause by golly, it'll be the right one.

Both. When I was a little kid my mother would let me "cheat" and read my old comics - if I gave them up for Lent - as she said I'd already read them but as I get older I realize in fairness it needs to be both (especially since just giving up playing wouldn't work as I rarely get to play...I mainly just buy in the vain hope that someday I'll get to play again ).

I once gave up a girlfriend for Lent. No, I'm not kidding.

I'd been trying to break up with her nicely, but she just wouldn't get it. So Ash Wednesday rolls around and I tell her I'm giving her up for Lent. She didn't take it well and came at me with a steak knife.

But back to Rokk's question -

It's a tough call here, bud. I'm leaning towards saying, "Give up the cards." They'll be easier to pick up after Easter. But you lose your only gaming interaction - ouch! On the other hand, you aren't really missing the big events and the Horrorclix will still be there after Easter (and theoretically Origins will to, barring another Legacy situation).

Really? Since when? I've been pretty much inactive in the church since I left high school, so I'd not heard of this.

Anyway, my opinion.

As people have mentioned, in keeping with the true spirit of the event, you should give up something that is the bigger sacrifice. From my read of your first post (and from your avatar), you seem more excited for Origins than anything else, and that would be one heck of a sacrifice.

If you gave up cards, you'd be limiting the time you spend interacting with your gamer friends, and Lent shouldn't be about that, in my opinion.

But allow me to very literally play the Devil's advocate and tempt you with a compromise. Lent is forty days and runs from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday. But on the calendar, there are 45 days between these two dates. The reason for the descrepancy is simple....

SUNDAYS ARE NOT DAYS OF LENT!

In the words of kencollins.net (the first thing that came up on google): "We skip Sundays when we count the forty days, because Sundays commemorate the Resurrection."

So, there you go. Whichever one you give up, just get your fill on Sundays. Buy that Origin case on Sunday, play Magic on Sunday. Heck, give up all your gaming for six days of the week and then go hog-wild on the seventh.

(have I provided sufficient temptation? )

On a side note: I gave up soda one year and went through caffiene withdrawal. I would get home from school every day and crash out on the couch for a couple of hours. I think it was that point when I decided there would be no more Lent for me.