The Holy Eucharist is at the heart of our Catholic Faith. It is a symbol of the transubstantiation of bread and wine into the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Pope Francis refers to the Eucharist as the “Sacrament of Love.” It is therefore understandable that we put great importance on the First Communion because this is the first time that we partake of the Eucharist.
It is a common practice for families to organize parties and gatherings to mark a child’s First Communion and children also wear special clothes for this event. Another way to celebrate someone’s First Communion is by giving them a gift. Here are Eight Meaningful Gift Ideas for First Communion:
Prayer booklets
Prayer is an important part of our Catholic Faith and your child’s First Communion is a wonderful time to let them know this. You can introduce your child to the meaning of prayer by giving him or her a Catholic prayer book. These prayer books are a compilation of Catholic prayers which children can learn about and practice in their personal walk of faith.
Some prayer books include devotionals and sections in which children can write their own reflections after praying. There are also pocket-sized prayer books so it is easy for children to carry and use them wherever they go.
Rosary
The Rosary is a well-known and well-loved prayer in the Catholic Church so a rosary bead is one of the most meaningful gift ideas for First Communion. Give your child rosary beads to encourage him or her to pray and express their devotion to the Virgin Mary. Also, when your child has his or her own rosary beads, you can all pray together as a family.
Praying the Rosary together as a family will inspire us to reflect upon the mysteries of the lives of Jesus and the Holy Mother. This is a wonderful way for us to learn lessons from their own spiritual journeys and follow their example.
Bible Storybooks
A child’s First communion is one of the earliest steps they take in their journey of faith. Giving storybooks based on the lives of exemplary men and women in the Bible is a great way to teach children about the Christian way of life. There are many Bible storybooks written specially for children. These usually feature colorful illustrations that are captivating to a young reader’s imagination and the narratives are usually easy to follow but still brimming with many important lessons on faith and righteousness.
Religious Jewelry
A First Communion is a precious event so giving an equally precious gift like jewelry is only appropriate. You can make your gift more meaningful and spiritual by selecting a piece of jewelry with a religious theme. Religious jewelry include necklaces, rings, brooches and medals and they usually feature engravings of saints and Bible verses.
Choose religious jewelry that holds significant personal meaning to the recipient. For example, if the recipient was named after a saint, you can give him or her a patron saint medal featuring the namesake saint. Religious jewelry is a simple way of reminding our children to pray and ask the saints for help for navigating through life’s unexpected twists and turns.
Books About Saints
A child’s First Communion is their initiation into a way of life that is Christ-like and it is our responsibility to show them what this means. The lives of saints are a great source of inspiration on how to remain faithful and morally upright in the midst of life’s storms. We need to teach our children to emulate the steadfast character and faith of the saints and one way to do this is to give books about them as gifts. Your child will have an insightful time learning about the saints and the qualities that they are known for.
Religious Figurines
Figurines are another First Communion gift idea but don’t just give a plain one without any spiritual meaning. A religious-themed figurine is a good way to preserve the spirit of the occasion. Religious-themed figurines are usually small statuettes depicting Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, the saints or other scenes from the Bible. Aside from these, there are also more whimsical figurines like snow globes that feature a religious theme like the Nativity scene or similar images from the Bible.
Crucifix
The crucifix is perhaps the most popular and profound symbol in the Catholic Faith. It represents the great love that Jesus has for humanity and the sacrifice He made for our sins. The teachings of the Catholic Church are founded on this very meaningful act of grace, compassion and forgiveness and it is only appropriate that we share this to our children.
There are different types of crucifixes you can give as a First Communion gift. You can give one designed as a wall cross which your child can hang over his or her bed. There are also crucifix pendants which your child can wear every day as a reminder of the great love that Jesus has for His children.
Bible
The Bible is an important source of wisdom and so we must teach our children to read it an early age. Consider giving your child a Bible for his or her First Communion and encourage them to read it daily. There are Bibles that are specially made for children and these usually include illustrations and larger, easy to follow text. Some are also available in small sizes so it is easy for your child to bring it wherever he or she goes.
What gifts did you receive in your First Communion? What other ways can we commemorate this very meaningful occasion?