Confirmation gift ideas for godson?

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My 13-year-old godson will be confirmed next month and I’m drawing a blank on good gift ideas. He has several rosaries, a bible, and numerous saint medals/icons of his patron saint(s) as well as St Michael. He takes his faith seriously but isn’t, I would say, on fire about it. I thought about a daily devotional, but I’m not sure that he would read it (I’ve seen similar types of books that his parents have gotten him gather dust). Any ideas that would be appropriate for a young teen boy?

Thanks!
 
First: Do you live close by?
If so…the best gift you can give is your time. It appears he has all the “stuff”, and as you indicate, it’s gathering dust.
Rather than hope that he will avail himself of these things and teach himself (kids seldom do) make a monthly dinner or lunch date with him. The museum, a ball game, a concert in the park.
In doing so you create a bond in which, over time, you can share your faith…your stories, your doubts at his age, you triumphs, your little miracles.
Kids take to heart anything that is a true story. Share yours. It’s better than anything you can buy!
If you live far away…do the same in letters…or Skype.
Peace to you!
Clare
 
Custom, keepsake, laminated holy cards of the patron saint or the Holy Spirit.

On the back:

On the occasion of my Confirmation
Joseph Francis Michael Smith
May 1, 2014
by Bishop Kevin Jones
Sponsor: John Paul Steven Burns
Sacred Heart Church
Antytown, California

Quote from patron saint here

You can even print these out at home a bring them to Kinko’s to be laminated and cut. Great bookmark, super keepsake.

How about one for each parent, godparent, grandparent, sponsor, the confirmand, and the catechist.
 
The Perfect Joy of Saint Francis
by Felix Timmermans(Author)

Peace
 
A Gift token for a certain amount of money that he could put/buy towards a Mobile phone. Good that he can keep in touch with his parents in case of Emergency.

Since he has everything on the Spiritual side, or how about money in a card so he could buy what he wanted.
 
Last year I was the confirmation sponsor for a young girl. I bought a nice rosary for her, but not one that was so expensive that it would be a disaster if she lost it. I also got her a St. Joseph Sunday Missal with her name imprinted on the cover. She loved it, I live at a distance from her, and didn’t arrive until a couple of days before the ceremony. Ahead of time I sent her one of those little booklets with the Novena to the Holy Spirit. I have one, too, and we both agreed to pray it beginning nine days before the ceremony so that she would be prepared to receive all the graces that the Holy Spirit wanted to give her. That would also be something for a godparent to do. I think it makes an impression on a young person when they know that a respected adult is praying for them.
 
I was given a box set for my confirmation. It contained a plain set of wooden Rosary beads, A plastic bottle for holding Holy Water (continue to use today), a book of basic Catholic prayers and I think it had a medal of my patron saint (Saint Michael).

Now having recieved the generic box gift set I will say that I did not enjoy any part of it. I already had a St. Benedict Rosary at the time that is beautiful and is still my favorite Rosary to use, I had a bottle for holy water however I used the one from the set as it was smaller and more portable, I had several books of prayers accumulated through RCIA and I had several medals and images pertaining to Saint Michael.

What I would suggest as a confirmation gift would be dependent on what the new member wants to do in the church. For instance I have a friend who is being confirmed this year, I played a large part in his conversion but was not his sponsor as he lives out of state. However he has expressed a desire to pursue trainig to be an extraordinary minister of the Holy Eucharist. So I bought him a pyx. I also had it blessed by a Benedictine Priest at Belmont Abbey because my friend has a great respect for the Benedictine Order. He also expressed that he prays to his patron saint often and enjoys that. So inside of the pyx I placed a decade chaplet to his patron saint. I feel this is much more personal and is sonething he will actually use and with the pyx actually ENCOURAGE him. Hope this helps with your own ideas.
 
What about offering to sponsor him on a retreat this summer? Get permission from his parents first. I attended several Steubenville Youth Conferences when I was a teen and they did so much for my faith. Plus, they’re amazingly fun.

Does he belong to a youth group? Could you sponsor him to do something through them? Or how about a day pilgrimmage with you to a nearby Basilica or Holy Site (then out to eat lunch, see a movie, do something fun)? I like the idea of experience gifts.
 
How about setting up a date for taking him out to lunch an then to the closest Catholic bookstore so he can pick out what he wants (within reason)? I know there’s a huge one in the Kansas City area. I’ve only been there once, but the selection was huge. I doubt they lacked anything Catholic.
 
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