Christmas Gift Ideas for Priests

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Hi all, does anyone have any good Christmas gift ideas for priests? We intend to send a hand written letter to say thank you and express how grateful we are to have such faithful priests, but we would also like to add a little something special. Last year we gave them a gift certificate to a nice local restaurant, but with Covid and all this year I’m not sure that’s such a great gift because they might not be able to dine in. What do you guys think about a Catholic cookbook (Cooking with the Saints)?

I’ve heard that cash is actually a good gift but I have no idea how much priests are allowed to spend and on what. Can they use their allowance to buy wine? If so then I’m second guessing whether or not to get them wine. Anyway, all suggestions and ideas are welcome, thanks!
 
Moneyball said:
I’ve heard that cash is actually a good gift but I have no idea how much priests are allowed to spend and on what.
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We can spend as much as we want on whatever we want. Obviously we should be prudent and not buy things that are illegal or immoral. But we’re normal people, and we buy the same things you do.
Moneyball said:
Can they use their allowance to buy wine? If so then I’m second guessing whether or not to get them wine.
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I got paid a paycheck, and not an allowance, today, and I bought a very fine bottle of rye whiskey.

-Fr ACEGC
 
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Thanks for your comment. No offense intended on using the word “allowance” instead of paycheck. I really have no idea how much priests get paid. I understand that priests are normal people too lol, but I was told by several people that at least some priests don’t really have much left over to buy themselves nice things. Maybe I was misinformed.

So in your opinion would getting plain old cash for Christmas seem cold? Or not as thoughtful as say (fill in the blank)?
 
Cash is fine with me. Mileage may vary. The nice thing about cash or gift cards is that a parish priest might be getting lots of gifts from lots of people, and he can kind of pick out what’s going to be useful to him. Another thing we get a lot of is junk food. I can’t really eat sugar, so I pass off the baked goods to my staff.
 
I appreciate this thread and I’m sure my parish priest will, too. For years I’ve given homemade bread to the priest and deacon (whoever they might be). But after reading this thread, it’ll be some money in a card. Thank you, Fathers, for setting me straight. Have a Merry Christmas.
 
Yeah I was thinking of giving them wine (doesn’t go bad) but I really have no idea what kind of wine they like. So maybe a gift card to the local liquor store is more practical, but I can’t help but feel like it’s impersonal. Still better than getting them something they don’t like I guess
 
Moneyball said:
Hi all, does anyone have any good Christmas gift ideas for priests?
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A necktie 👔 😂

More seriously, and perhaps @edward_george1 can confirm or deny: I have been advised by more than one priest that if he never gets another gift of socks 🧦 it will be too soon.
 
Moneyball said:
What do you guys think about a Catholic cookbook (Cooking with the Saints)?
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In my experience, priests are not much interested in cooking. There are a few exceptions. But that’s a pretty taste specific gift. Maybe your priest likes to cook?
Moneyball said:
I’ve heard that cash is actually a good gift but I have no idea how much priests are allowed to spend and on what.
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Secular (diocesan) priests don’t have restrictions like that.
Moneyball said:
Can they use their allowance to buy wine?
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They can buy whatever they want with their salary. Not an allowance.
Moneyball said:
If so then I’m second guessing whether or not to get them wine.
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If your priest likes wine, get him wine.

If he likes fishing, get him fishing stuff.

If he hunts, hunting stuff.

I mean, really this depends on the priest. If you don’t know his hobbies or tastes, a gift card or cash would certainly be something he would appreciate.
 
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I’ve never really been gifted socks, except by a friend who knows me well, and they were printed with the cover of a book I like. That said, I buy exactly two types of socks, so it’s something I prefer to get myself.
 
Father, I’ve heard from a friend that multiple priests told her they prefer gifts other than wine because wine is gifted to them so frequently. Is this just local, or is it commonly the case? People consider priests and wine connected concepts, and therefore wine gets over-gifted to them?

(Last time I gave a gift to a priest I avoided wine for this reason. Curious now if this is regional and not across-the-board.)
 
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Thanks for the comment. Last year I gave my priests (there are three in our area) a gift card to a nice restaurant, but because of Covid I don’t think they’ll be able to dine-in. And since I don’t know what their hobbies are or what stuff they own already (they’re relatively new to the area), I don’t even know what gift card to get them… grocery store maybe? I think I’d rather give them cash. It just feels so impersonal.
 
Depends on the priest. I never seem to get all the booze gifts in large amounts. If you wanted to send a nice bottle of whiskey my way, I wouldn’t complain. If your priest likes to entertain, then I would say giving wine would be great, since he’d have an outlet to use what he won’t drink himself.
 
edward_george1 said:
I’ve never really been gifted socks, except by a friend who knows me well, and they were printed with the cover of a book I like. That said, I buy exactly two types of socks, so it’s something I prefer to get myself.
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As a priest, I would just like to say that Father’s comment actually applies to many of us. Especially as we get older, we’ve found our favorite brands of cologne, soap, socks, and such, often by trial and error…and we like them and prefer them. Unless you know the priest very well, you are really unlikely to know which books he already has or would like to have.

An example from my past. There was an American family who wanted to gift me a clerical shirt. It was very kind. My clerical shirts are made in Belgium…I am European…but this was a shirt they had bought in America. Americans have a different sizing system. They did manage to approximate the neck size and arm length…but my goodness! The body of the shirt was made for someone who was either a body builder or obese. Our shirts in Europe do not typically billow! It also did not survive many washings, sadly.

Even things like stoles and other vestments, one discovers that priests, deacons, and seminarians quickly develop strong preferences.

All that to say, a gift that allows the priest to obtain what is to his preference and tastes is really appreciated, whether it be cash or gift cards. I know that we have gift cards that say “Accepted wherever X card provider is welcomed.” Perhaps America does not have that, though.

If you are really reluctant to give cash and wish to present an actual gift, may I suggest you ask the priest? We’re generally not at a loss to answer. “Father I would like to buy you a bottle of wine or a digestif. What do you enjoy?” Or, “I would like to buy you a movie or a DVD or a book…is there something you would specifically like that you don’t have?”
 
1ke said:
They can buy whatever they want with their salary. Not an allowance.
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This is true…but it does suppose that one is talking about diocesan priests.

Various institutions are served by Religious Order or Congregation priests and even by monks. Their methods of observing the vow of poverty vary widely. I have friends who are monks who do receive an allowance and their gifts are, moreover, subject to the Abbot’s decision about their disposition.

In those cases, it is really best to consult the monk – or nun for that matter. In those cases, there might be some personal item that the monastery’s common might not typically have but that the Abbot might allow.
 
Don_Ruggero said:
It also did not survive many washings, sadly.
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I’ve always thought American clerical attire was a huge racket. Why would I pay $50-60 for a shirt that will turn gray after two washings and fall apart after a year? I could just as easily go to Walmart and buy a black button-up shirt for $25, and pay someone to alter the collar into a mandarin collar with button holes. This is part of why I wear a cassock nearly all the time. A good cassock is about $350, even custom tailored, if you know where to look, and I can wear the thing for four or five years before it wears out. And I can wear shorts and a t-shirt under it. That’s part of why I have strong sock preferences; as you said, trial and error is involved. It took me until about a year ago to find good knee-length black socks that would last more than a few months (they’re Wrangler boot socks, designed to be worn with rodeo or equestrian boots).
 
edward_george1 said:
Why would I pay $50-60 for a shirt that will turn gray after two washings and fall apart after a year?
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No lie. And that poor shirt didn’t even make it a year! As I remember, I had to re-stitch the buttons after first wear because one came off in my hand! I gathered it was something they had spent more dollars on than it gave value but they were buying a product that they were not acquainted with.

The cassock is often a better choice indeed, for a number of practical reasons. I had always gathered it is not normally used for wear on the street the way it is, well, in parts of Europe.
 
It’s become common for street wear in the US in some regions. In my Diocese it’s hardly a rarity anymore. Most priests wear them at least on church grounds and especially liturgically, and some of us wear it every day. Unfortunately it’s associated with a certain kind of agenda, and it doesn’t have to be. My particular political or liturgical leanings matter very little. I wear it as a practical matter.
 
edward_george1 said:
Unfortunately it’s associated with a certain kind of agenda, and it doesn’t have to be.
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Ah. Indeed it doesn’t. Where I am, you would not be able to judge what are the leanings of the man wearing it. It’s a garment.
 
Maybe a meal delivery arranged a few weeks in advance so the priest can know he get a night or two off from cooking?
Or a gift certificate to a grocery store or a catholic book store?
Or a donation in his name to a local Catholic school with a nice card to him?
Or a Mass said for him and his intentions?
 
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