The rite of first communion is a major event in some people’s religious lives. Communion is a ceremony in which the religious person (either Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican, or some Orthodox denomination) communes with the body of Christ by imbibing wine, that represents His blood, and eating a wafer, that represents His body. In this way, the person taking communion is, symbolically, becoming one with Christ.
The first time someone receives communion is a significant milestone in a religious person’s life—it’s a welcoming into a community of sorts. This makes it a special occasion that’s often celebrated by family and friends, along with the wider church community. While a person may take communion on a weekly basis throughout their lives, that first time they eat the wafer will only happen once. First communion is usually a rite that’s practiced in childhood, typically around the age of seven or eight, which is considered the “age of reason” according to the Catholic Church.
If you’ve been invited to a first communion ceremony, you may be thinking about the best gift for this uniquely special occasion. It’s not just like a birthday, after all, but you still want something that will be fun and that a child will appreciate. Should you get something for their toddler sibling as well? How about a set of communion cups or one of those special large print Bibles? For those who are trying to choose a great gift for a first holy communion, read on.
Get something they can use throughout their religious lives.
Seeing as holy communion is a religious ceremony, it makes sense to get something that the recipient will be able to use throughout their religious lives. Thankfully, there are plenty of things that fall under that heading. Christian brands these days offer communion supplies, like communion cups or a portable communion set, in a variety of styles. Or, if you want to go a little more low-key, you can just get a KJV Bible inscribed with the date of this special occasion, and maybe their name or image. Some Christian brands also offer a coupon code or free shipping if you’re buying online, so be sure to check for that after you click on “add to cart.”
Maybe you should consider a gift for the whole family.
Another route to consider is getting something that everyone in the family can enjoy. If someone in the family has a gluten allergy, it would be thoughtful to buy some gluten-free communion bread for them to use. If, on the other hand, there are toddlers or young children in the family as well, it’s a great idea to get something fun for them to play with—like magnetic blocks or magnetic tiles. The genius of magnetic tiles or magnetic building blocks is that they’re durable and easy to use, and they teach young kids both fine motor skills and gross motor skills. For older kids, they provide an opportunity to get a leg up on geometry. Magnetic tiles or building blocks are a winner among gifts for kids of all ages.
Sign them up for a year-long gift.
To give the gift that keeps on giving, check out a subscription to a bookstore or magazine retailer. Classic kids magazines like Highlights offer yearlong subscriptions for kids of all ages. They can enjoy puzzles and just released stories to kids across the continental US. All you need is an email address and a physical address, and the recipient will be enjoying new and exciting magazines and books every month for a year! This is a great way to encourage remembrance of their first holy communion while having some educational fun at the same time.