How to spend money received as First Communion gift?

[johnnyc176]

What is the most appropriate way for a child to spend money received as a gift for First Communion? His choice would be Legos or dollar store toys but that doesn’t really feel appropriate. And a child can only have so many religious books/statues/etc. Give it all to charity??? Put in savings??? Kind of seems cruel though to tell a little kid they can’t spend any of their gift money! Maybe take him to the religious store and let him pick out a couple things and save or donate the rest???

A good teaching moment. Pray, pay and obey…all three we are commanded to do in Scripture. Teach him to give thanks to the gift giver but also to God and to pray for all those who do not have, set a small portion aside to give back to God and finally obey God’s commandments (one of which is to honor his parents) so he can receive our Lord worthily. Maybe teach him to set aside another small portion to help the family. Then go buy some toys!

 

[acat]

Thank you for all the (name removed by moderator)ut! We normally do allowance with give/spend/save jars, and he decides how to use his ‘spend’ and ‘give’ money. Giving is part of our lives and he does see me give freely. I definitely don’t make him buy only religious items, I just thought maybe it wasn’t appropriate to spend however he wants when it was gifts for a religious occasion - I wouldn’t usually give a child secular gifts for something like this, so I thought maybe he shouldn’t spend money that way either. He really appreciates religious items and always wants me to buy him things from the Catholic store that I can’t afford, so I wasn’t trying to force something on him or make him miserable, just to gently guide him!

He received a generous amount of money, and we agreed that he would save most of it (for college or a car or something), buy an expensive toy he’d been wanting, and keep some for spending money. He was happy with this and I’m grateful that he has a bit more money in his savings account because I can’t afford to give him a big allowance. And I bought him a couple religious items I really wanted him to have as my gifts to him.

Thank you for helping me figure this out!

 

[Bookcat]

Good religious goods. A good rosary, a good Bible (saved for him til he is old enough for it), a nice crucifix (have them blessed), books of the Saints etc

and perhaps also some toys too (legos etc)…for they are a child…

 

[Rosebud77]

Was thinking about this earlier.

If this was a child’s birthday… But is is the day he or she receives the Greatest Gift any of us ever receive.

And I have known little ones here who have without thinking sought to give to others in that great Divine Loving Gift. Of the money given to them as a celebratory witness. Sometimes to children who will never have this Gift we are given on this sweet and solemn day … not all of it, but a giving of love all the same.

Christmas and birthdays come every year; this is once and once only. So very special and sacred.

There is a tradition here that a grandmother buys a rosary for a First Communion child an we have been privileged to make those for that sacred day. .

Just my small thoughts.

 

[AdamP88]

What is the most appropriate way for a child to spend money received as a gift for First Communion? His choice would be Legos or dollar store toys but that doesn’t really feel appropriate. And a child can only have so many religious books/statues/etc. Give it all to charity??? Put in savings??? Kind of seems cruel though to tell a little kid they can’t spend any of their gift money! Maybe take him to the religious store and let him pick out a couple things and save or donate the rest???

If I was to get communion money now…I’d buy some “man-toys”. For example, a new kayak, a widescreen tv, some alloys for my car. lol

Let him buy a few toys…