Christmas gifts ideas for priest please!

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Eternalwonder

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Hi! I hope is not too late since Christmas is four days away. I don’t have alot of time as an aspiring Catholic so I don’t know alot about Catholics customs and or traditions. Anyway the parish priest of the church I’ve been attending to has been really nice and I would like to get him something for Christmas to show my gratitude. Problem is I don’nt know if this is appropriate or not? and if yes what in earth do you give a priest? I’m a serious gift giver. I’m not a catholic yet,but he has been very nice and understanding. Any ideas???
 
On short notice, a gift card to eat out is nice. When you’re not married, eating out can be a very pleasant way to relax and socialize. Don’t know where he likes to eat out? Ask some of the active parishioners if they know. They might also know if he’s got hobbies–gardening, hiking, cooking, fishing, etc–or if he’s fond of some particular kind of food gift, is a book accumulator who’d like a bookstore gift certificate. Left to guess generally, though, I’d guess restaurant.
 
When one of our Priests was transferred, we asked his Superior permission to buy Father a gift (they are order Priests and must have permission to receive a gift of any value). The group then found out what Father would be doing and bought him a car charger and “hands free” device for his phone.

Other ideas:
A basket of fruits (you can make it yourself)
A nice brie cheese with crackers and preserves
Hand lotion w/o much perfume
Lotion for feet if you see they are dry (some Priests wear sandals in warm weather)
A Mass for his intentions (said at another church)
A bottle of wine – if you know he likes wine and what kind
A sweater (black)
A coupon saying you would help at such and such (cleaning and decorating the church for the Easter celebrations, cleaning and preparing the palms for Palm Sunday, etc.)

I am sure others will add.
 
Some good ideas mentioned. I discovered that my parish priest gets lots of chocolate, cake etc. But he ends up throwing most of it away eventually because he doesn’t have a very sweet tooth. I plan on giving him a generic gift card and adding a note (we both have a wicked sense of humor, so I will make some outrageous suggestions on how he might like to spend it e.g. flashing reindeer socks).

I think that letting him know how much you appreciate and value his help will be the biggest gift to him.
 
Eternalwonder said:
Hi! I hope is not too late since Christmas is four days away. I don’t have alot of time as an aspiring Catholic so I don’t know alot about Catholics customs and or traditions. Anyway the parish priest of the church I’ve been attending to has been really nice and I would like to get him something for Christmas to show my gratitude. Problem is I don’nt know if this is appropriate or not? and if yes what in earth do you give a priest? I’m a serious gift giver. I’m not a catholic yet,but he has been very nice and understanding. Any ideas???
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How about a gift card for a grocery store…( if he had to buy his own groceries out of his own salary )

Or a gift card for somewhere like subway…so between his duties he can stop and grab a bite to eat?
 
Another thing to consider doing (instead of or in addition to a gift) is writing him a very sincere note explaining how grateful you are for his help as you consider the Catholic Church. Being a priest can be thankless work and I imagine that he would really enjoy the thanks. If you can point to specific examples of ways he’s made you feel welcome or gone over and above, you might also consider sending him the letter and cc’ing it to his bishop. Everyone likes to be appreciated; it’s awesome to be appreciated and for your boss to know it.
 
Depends on if your parish priest is a member of a religious order or not. My parish is part of a diocese, but it is served by Franciscans. Since they take vows of poverty, the Guardian decides how to dispense and distribute gifts…many times it’s not a problem, as the brother you want to give the gift will receive it.
 
nodito said:
Another thing to consider doing (instead of or in addition to a gift) is writing him a very sincere note explaining how grateful you are for his help as you consider the Catholic Church. Being a priest can be thankless work and I imagine that he would really enjoy the thanks. If you can point to specific examples of ways he’s made you feel welcome or gone over and above, you might also consider sending him the letter and cc’ing it to his bishop. Everyone likes to be appreciated; it’s awesome to be appreciated and for your boss to know it.
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EasterJoy said:
On short notice, a gift card to eat out is nice. When you’re not married, eating out can be a very pleasant way to relax and socialize. Don’t know where he likes to eat out? Ask some of the active parishioners if they know. They might also know if he’s got hobbies–gardening, hiking, cooking, fishing, etc–or if he’s fond of some particular kind of food gift, is a book accumulator who’d like a bookstore gift certificate. Left to guess generally, though, I’d guess restaurant.
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It depends how well you know him as well.

My spiritual advisor (I am not under “direction” and do not physically live in his parish) is a Sudoku fan, so each year, I get him five or six sudoku books.

The other ideas were nice, too.

ICXC NIKA
 
Avila123 said:
Some good ideas mentioned. I discovered that my parish priest gets lots of chocolate, cake etc. But he ends up throwing most of it away eventually because he doesn’t have a very sweet tooth. I plan on giving him a generic gift card and adding a note (we both have a wicked sense of humor, so I will make some outrageous suggestions on how he might like to spend it e.g. flashing reindeer socks).
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Get him a necktie.

:rotfl: 😛 :rotfl:

:christmastree1:
tee
 
One of my priests had to travel hundreds of miles a week to rural parishes in a beat up old truck. My friends and I got him a AAA membership so he would be protected if he every broke down.

I saw a man give a very elderly priest some cash after Mass with a strict order to go treat himself to a good cup of coffee. I always thought the coffee money was a nice idea. Priests are usually busy 24/7 and they aren’t likely to stop and take some time for themselves.
 
nodito said:
Another thing to consider doing (instead of or in addition to a gift) is writing him a very sincere note explaining how grateful you are for his help as you consider the Catholic Church. Being a priest can be thankless work and I imagine that he would really enjoy the thanks. If you can point to specific examples of ways he’s made you feel welcome or gone over and above, you might also consider sending him the letter and cc’ing it to his bishop. Everyone likes to be appreciated; it’s awesome to be appreciated and for your boss to know it.
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This is a fantastic idea. :yup:
Avila123 said:
I think that letting him know how much you appreciate and value his help will be the biggest gift to him.
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Similar to the above. 👍
Avila123 said:
I discovered that my parish priest gets lots of chocolate, cake etc. But he ends up throwing most of it away eventually because he doesn’t have a very sweet tooth.
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It helps to know a little about one’s priest, both in terms of his vocation and also in terms of who he is as a person. So as GEddie said, what would be appropriate in the OP’s case depends upon how well she knows him. Anyone who wants to give a gift to a priest (s)he doesn’t know well could perhaps seek suggestions from someone who spends a lot of time with him, such as the parish secretary, the sacristan, or another priest in the parish.

As an aside, this comment made me smile because my priest is the opposite: he has a raging sweet tooth. He eats so much sugar that it makes **my **teeth hurt. When it rains I walk him back and forth between the church and the rectory under an umbrella because I’m afraid he’ll dissolve if I don’t. …okay, not really. But being kind to one’s priest certainly isn’t a bad thing.

Anyway, another suggestion: in my experience, prayer is one of the most appreciated gifts. On my pastor’s last birthday my mother and I gave him a spiritual bouquet. He was visibly moved and so touched particularly by my mom’s participation in the gesture—the two of them have never met and don’t even speak a language in common—that he wrote to her to express his gratitude. (Upon receipt of said thank-you note she was :confused: and promptly came to me for translation, but that’s another story.)
 
Oh wow! I’m really thankful for all the great advice and ideas I ave received. I’m very happy. I have received so many good ideas I don’t know which one to pick now lol! Anyway, I will be shopping for his gift on monday evening ( I know i’m procradtinating) Maybe I will get more ideas 😉
 
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