First Communion kit?

[ConstantineTG]

I saw some First Communion kits being sold at Catholic bookstores. I wonder what is exactly needed by kids receiving First Communion? I want to send one to my nephew in the US and I am unaware of the practices in the US. Also its been an eternity since I had my First Communion and its probably a different practice in the Philippines than in the US.

 

[1ke]

Are you talking about a gift for his First Communion?

Typical gifts are things like bibles, rosaries, a crucifix, etc.

 

[ConstantineTG]

There’s kits being sold, usually with a bible, candle and some other things

Like here: catholiccompany.com/sets-c178/?aid=117&gclid=CMm35_69sKYCFQEGbAodW0Q1nA

I don’t know how much of this is necessary. I remember when I was going for First Communion, we just went to the church beside our school after weeks of practicing with crackers and cookies. We basically had something to wear, then attend Mass with parents.

 

[zab]

None of those things is needed to make his First Communion. But they are nice gifts for the First Communicants to receive. Since we encourage them to follow along in the missalettes in Church during Mass, the small picture missal is not needed but it does contains many prayers and possibly an examination of conscience that are appreciated by some children. My granddaughter loves her missal. Since the children in our parish are given a chord or chord/bead rosary at various times, it is nice to get a chain rosary as a gift for First Communion. However, the ones in these kits are not aways the best quality of chain. My preference was to buy just the First Communion Missal for boy or girl and either make a nice chain rosary myself or purchase one from the Rosary Makers at our parish.

 

[3DOCTORS]

Buying the items separately might be good. You could find out from the parents and grandparents what he might already be receiving. Sometimes the godparents give the First Communion Rosary, the child’s first nice rosary. It varies so much with the individual family.

Back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth, (i.e. 1969) I got my white dress, veil, white purse, and a little set in a clear vinyl bookcover kit which contained a missal and a pearl rosary, and my Brown Scapular. And a little gold-toned chalice pin.

For a boy, the kits are usually in black, and the rosary black or brown wood. Sometimes they wear a special necktie or armband.

I got my first real Bible for Confirmation, which back then was when I was 11. But nowadays a lot of people do get kids a Bible for First Communion.

Sometimes they get a picture Bible, which has enough text to read (more than a preschooler’s Bible, in other words) but isn’t the whole Bible, which may be beyond the reading level of a 7-year-old. And the picture Bible, of course, has illustrations.

Having the child’s name and date of the First Communion stamped on the Bible or written inside is a nice touch, too. Or in the Missal if you don’t get a Bible.

 

[puzzleannie]

I saw some First Communion kits being sold at Catholic bookstores. I wonder what is exactly needed by kids receiving First Communion? I want to send one to my nephew in the US and I am unaware of the practices in the US. Also its been an eternity since I had my First Communion and its probably a different practice in the Philippines than in the US.

none of the items are required, but my recommendation for the best first communion gift is a child’s missal and prayerbook, one that has the order of the Mass. An illustrated Catholic Children’s bible is another good choice. Those books as well as saint books by St. Joseph or Catholic Book PUblishing are reliable. A set with a rosary and scapular is also a good choice. Unless it is a cultural custom where your nephew is, the candle is not required, or if it is the parish usually provides it.

 

[MissRose73]

When I made my first Holy Communion in the early 1980’s, I got the following as gifts from various family members:

*Missal
*Rosary
*Cross Necklace(s)
*Scapular
*Book about Saints (geared towards children)
*Money

To be honest, I don’t remember much else.

When my sister’s kids were received into the church nearly 2 years ago, I gave them each (new items) what I listed above with the exception of money.