gift etiquette for first holy communion

[KristinaM]

what is a suitable gift please? ( assuming that a 9yo boy will not appreciate the usual christening gifts of bunnykins mug, silver spoon etc). Do you give a card and if so, where do you buy them? Any other tips for non-Catholics please??

First Communion card (usually a repository at back of local catholic church which sells religious items) or could try local card shop.
I think I got a rosary and a missal (book of service type things)
Suppose you could buy a commerative gift so like a mug and get it engraved to mark the occasion

Cards are widely available. Clintons, etc have them. Gifts - anything goes IME. Doesn't have to be overly religious. Money is a popular gift, as are book tokens or Bibles. Girls often get a cross and chain.

Hope that's some help

Unless you're a god-parent I think just a card would be fine. Otherwise money always a good one, small wooden icons - I really like them, book of prayers, a nice edition of a classic. Just trying to remember what ds1 was given. Dh catholic me not. We gave him a religious present and a non-religious one.

Just remembered something funny. DS opened his presents in front of religious in-laws. Very polite and grateful thanks given to religious, but not exactly thrilling presents for an 8yo, then he opened our non-religious present. Our religious one was a book of saints which he loves btw. When he saw what it was he errupted "Yeaaaah!" the World cup PS2 game. It just made me laugh. I think he was so relieved to have got something he actually wanted.

really? Money or book token woudl be ok? I never have any idea what to get other people's kids and so I always get gift tokens ( unless asked for something specific). I was worried it had to be something with religious significance

no I'm not a god parent, just an aunt. he is a lovely boy and woudl be polite about any gift but I woudl prefer to get him something he woudl like IYWSIM

appropriate card with a book token would be lovely i reckon

oh thank you, thats a relief
BTw does anyone know why the service is so long? ( 2 hours) Or do I just have no stamina?

oops sorry are you all offended now ?

No not at all.2 hours sounds a bit long to be honest, we used to squeeze it into the normal hour service so it was perhaps 15-20mins longer.
Maybe your service is going to be v high church with loads of singing.Take some snacks I reckon

it's long because there'll be loads of kids getting done
at least you get to sit down

Fountain pen often goes down well - agree gift needn't be religious if you're not.

lapsed now anyway, so it has been a while for me that I attended a first communion, but still think back fondly to mine

thats makes sense as he attands a very big school near the church. lots of singing sounds nice. are you joking about the snacks - i woulndt mind taking something for DD (7). Am leaving DS 1yo and Ds 2yo at home with DH

yes was joking, but you can take anything with you as long as discreet quite honestly and will keep your DS going

Money in a card is the way to go in Dublin apparantly - all the kids compare notes on how much they got in school the following Monday! I never got past baptism with any of my three; DS1 showed a remarkable interest in making his holy communion having spent the weekend with his cousins. Soon stopped though when I pointed out that he would have to go to mass which would clash with rugby

A card, definately. One of the larger Catholic churches will have lots of lovely things to buy.

A lovely (and inexpensive book) is The Mass Illustrated for Children by Susan Bateman (www.secondspring.co.uk) - sorry, can't do links. It's written by the teacher who taught dd1 in Y2 and Y3, and she is luuuuurverly (not that that's anything to do with my recommendation).

In Ireland EVERYONE puts money in the card. If someone is a tight git as an adult you say, "I bet his still has his communion money!" The kids all go round after the communions on new bikes bought with the collection of money or buy Ninetendos. They're feckin' loaded after Communions and Confirmations.

DH says it's not like that here (he is also Roman Catholic). Said that family sometimes give religious gifts like prayer books or nice rosary beads, or sometimes money, but it's not expected.

Big card shops seem to do the cards.

Oh, for girls, religious jewellery goes down well. I was an adult conversion and my DH bought me a gorgeous silver crucifix that I wear every day. DD got a lovely crucifix from family and also a bracelet. Not always possible to buy suitable jewellery for boys, but worth a thought if any girls in your family make communions later.