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Parties/celebrations

Whether you're planning a birthday or a hen do, you'll find plenty of ideas for your celebration on our Party forum.

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Original poster

Holy Communion Party

18 replies

angmarie · 17/05/2007 11:30

I have neen invited to a holy communion party for a boy what can I buy him .
If it was a girl I would buy jewellery but what can I get a boy !!!

OP posts:

DevilsAdvocado · 17/05/2007 11:32

Good hard cash

Or a real leather football?

Depends how much you want to spend I think

My god daughter makes her confirmation in a few weeks & she doesn't wear jewellery so for her it will be money!

Ceolas · 17/05/2007 11:32

We are giving a book token to the child whose First Communion we're going to this weekend.

ripax · 17/05/2007 11:33

BOGOF confessional vouchers

ripax · 17/05/2007 11:33

Book token kid will be thrilled!

ChippyMinton · 17/05/2007 11:34

Cash in a nice card.

Original poster

angmarie · 17/05/2007 11:35

That was the only thing I could think of a voucher or money. I want to spend about £15

OP posts:

Anchovy · 17/05/2007 11:39

I think you are not really expected to give presents particularly, unless you are close relatives or god parents. A party would definitely be about celebrating the receiving of the sacrament which is effectively a key "life stage" in the Catholic church, rather than being expected to be a present-fest.

IIRC traditional gifts would be a rosary or a prayer book. Obviously you don't want to get too many of those so I think a gift would be discreet and a bit boring. I think my parents would have been very if anyone had given us anything secular (ie plastic!) and I suspect this view is prevalent among older catholics. So I think a book token definitely is the right thing to give.

twelveyeargap · 17/05/2007 11:47

In Ireland the kids get money. From everyone. Sad but true! In fact, if someone is a tighta'se in later life you say, "I bet he still has his Communion money."

A tenner in a card goes down well with any child, for any reason. You can wink and tell him to buy a prayer book.

FWIW, the Godparents will prob buy the miraculous medals/ rosary beads/ prayer books. There are only so many you need!

Anchovy · 17/05/2007 11:53

Ah yes, twelveyeargap - the tenner and the wink/suggestion they buy a prayerbook is exactly what I was tring to convey.

yeahinaminute · 17/05/2007 11:57

So if it's Holy Communion I expect he's about 7 right??

Get him some of the "horrible histories" or "Horrible Science" books - I don't know any 7 year old boy who can resist them !

But be careful if you get the Tudors though - the Dissolution of the Monasteries etc didn't go down very well with Catholics and it may not sit too well with the fact he's just agreed with the Nicene Creed and transubstantiation !!!

GrumpyOldHorsewoman · 17/05/2007 12:09

Reminds me of my BIL who was ringing around us just before his DD made her communion last week, telling us not to forget to send a card, and even asked my other BIL how much he was going to put in it! He went on to say 'Because if I remember rightly, we stuck 50 euros in a card for your DD' (He didn't - she never got a card, and was handed a 20 by SIL). Made me .

I would send a nice card with a tenner in it. My DD couldn't believe how much cash she got for her communion (anglo Irish, you see)

twelveyeargap · 17/05/2007 12:10

at BIL, GOH.

yeahinaminute · 17/05/2007 12:15

Right just had a chat with my brother here at work - asking about what he remembers getting for his HC ( I got loads of money, religious icons/prayer books etc, rosary beads and a lovely cross and chain)

Apart from the usual - money, rosaries etc - he still has and still uses a lovely silver bookmark with a celtic cross design etched in to it - which he admitted he thought a tad pansy when he got it - but 40 years on he's still using it !!!

I'm going to see if I can find one !!!

yeahinaminute · 17/05/2007 12:18

wow - here you go bookmark and pen sets good price too!

yeahinaminute · 17/05/2007 12:19

and here's a celtic cross bookmark!

Londonmamma · 17/05/2007 12:20

My nephew had his last weekend.

The form seemed to be some cash in a nice card.

In fact, it was a good little earner. My boys are now thinking of taking up the faith from which their mother has well and truly lapsed!!!

KTeePee · 17/05/2007 12:22

Where are you living angmarie? In Ireland hard cash is definitely the done thing but I think it is slightly less money orientated in the UK (at least where I live) - though I was still a bit at how much money dd got from our Irish relatives....

If you're not sure the boy is an avid reader, how about a token from WH Smiths or similar so he could buy a CD or DVD if he preferred?

twelveyeargap · 17/05/2007 12:36

My DH was a bit shocked about the way things are done in Ireland. He's Catholic, brought up in Yorkshire, and it was all very family orientated and kept strictly religious when he did his Communion.

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