First Communion 2020: 8 Memorable Gifts

First Communion this year in many parishes is missing the pomp and circumstance, the large family gatherings, the out-of-town visitors, the packed pews, and in some cases even the excitement of all the parish’s 1st Communicants receiving together.

You’ve seen all the yard signs congratulating “graduates” of all types: college graduates, high school graduates, middle school graduates, even elementary school graduates.

Others are getting social media tributes and picture galleries to celebrate milestones.

But a yard sign and “likes” won’t do justice for a 1st Communicant:

Because First Communion isn’t about your child, now, is it?

It’s not about publicity for your child’s accomplishment or “passing” something.

Instead, you want to firmly implant in the mind of the child–and in the heart!–that God Himself came in a special sacramental way to dwell inside the one person He would die again for–and that this is only the first time!

You need to provide something tangible for the child which will remind your child again and again of the wonder, the joy, the astounding love of God and His desire–finally fulfilled–to offer Himself Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity to His unique and permanent creation…to help that child persevere in this life on earth to get to Heaven!

The party will be missed in the short-term, but don’t miss the chance to focus your child on the beginning of the long-term.

Here are 8 quick suggestions from our best-sellers this year of gifts with an eye for the long-term.

These are the items that other Catholic parents and grandparents and godparents have been selecting to help nurture young hearts, minds, and souls–to give each First Communion in 2020 a lasting impact.

1. A Little Catholic’s First Rosary Books

We are nearing the end of the first print run (which we thought was HUGE and a bit foolhardy!) on these books and they continue to be the bulk of nearly every day’s shipments. Children love having their very own prayer book, and these books bring them into each mystery, revealing each one as a little story about Jesus and His love for His mother (and what He did for each of us).

Here’s what moms said:

“A wonderful idea: making the rosary feel like a story!”
“Makes for endearing crawl-into-the-lap rosary meditation with my youngest ones.”
“It’s neat to see the action unfold visually for each part of the mystery.”
“Reveals why we say the rosary–and opens up all kinds of teaching moments.”
“Captivated the kids and allowed me to meditate on the mysteries, too!”

2. Our brand-spanking new Catholic NAME-IT! game!

57 cards…
57 Catholic objects and symbols…
8 objects on each card…
But only 1 object matches between any 2 cards … Wow!

To WIN: you match it … NAME-IT! … and claim it! Fast-paced Family Fun!

Your children will learn the names and meanings of Catholic objects and gestures, awakening in them an appreciation for the wonder of our Catholic Faith in the joys all around us and especially in the church and at Holy Mass!

Here’s the mom secret: this makes it fun and not-at-all-like-a-lesson to learn Catholic vocabulary and comprehension of what our symbols mean. Sneaky, sneaky way to educate and inform and inspire!

3. Picture Bible

Archbishop Fulton Sheen (soon–please God!–to be beatified!) said, “This Picture Bible for all ages is an excellent introduction to those who do not know the Bible and an excellent review for those who do.”

This is the first Bible that every child in our house who can read has read from cover-to-cover! And we have gone through MANY COPIES of these as our children read it again and again until they would wear it out (and we’d grab another copy from the office). Recently we learned that Dr Brant Pitre (Research Professor of Scripture at the Augustine Institute) recommends this as the Bible he reads to his youngest ones! We have a video of him discussing it on our product page here.

4. Catechism of the Seven Sacraments (in LEGO!)

Father Hardon’s Catholic glossary is in the back (nine great detailed pages–a great family resource!), and it has an Imprimatur in the front–and packed in between is the most compelling explanation of Salvation History and the Church that we have ever seen.

When we first got a copy my husband left it with the mail, so our son, Trey, started paging through it, then he picked it up and read it in bed. The next day, he told his dad, “That Lego Catechism is really solid. It deals with specific questions kids will have. We need to sell it.” We’ve sold THOUSANDS now.

It really is a biblical adventure from creation to salvation and how the Sacraments and the Church are the means of God’s sanctifying grace. Set in a vivid comic-book format with stunning photographs, this book makes profound theological concepts accessible to both the Catholic and the curious, the child and the adult.

“Oh, well, then. So my seven year old is basically reading Scott Hahn in Lego form. I was a reasonably well-catechized kid, and I was an adult before I heard any of the theology he was explaining to me.“
-Mom of 7-year-old

NOTE: If your kids like playing with Lego, get this Lego Mass Set featuring Father Leopold. (Or–and this is from emails we’ve received from moms of priests–“Get this for your priest! He’ll love it and use it for the next First Communion classes!”

5. Who Is Jesus/Life of Jesus 2-book set

First Communion is the time to go beyond the “rules” of receiving the Eucharist to inspire in your child the wonder about and love for Who the Eucharist is! These books are FABULOUS (even adults learn a lot) in revealing why Jesus came to earth when He did, where He did, and all the meanings in the things He did and said made more clear when you understand the context of the time and place.

Our daughter, Therese, was so enamored of these books that she asked to write a blog post about the first one (I skipped school to read this book) and then when the second came out, she skipped school to read and write a blog post again!

6. Learning to Follow the Mass

If you attend the Extraordinary Form of the Mass, Learning to Follow the Mass is fantastic for children (and adults) and Treasure and Tradition is a resource that provides in extraordinary art, diagrams, and explanation you’ll also want in your home. (Other Extraordinary Form resources here, including other beautiful explanation books!)

7. Clare’s Costly Cookie

This is a perennial 1st Communion best-seller for girls. Our 3 youngest passed it from pillow to pillow as they all read it every night before bedtime. Transformative!

Nine-year-old Clare models for children that following Jesus Christ and striving for true holiness are worth any cost. This book teaches children to speak to Jesus as a friend–it’s the only Catholic book we’ve seen which really does this! Clare demonstrates that living the holy Catholic faith is not only an expression of love for Christ, but better than gooey, warm chocolate chip cookies.

8. Inside the Sacraments DVD set

All our kids (the “Holy Heroes Adventure Guides”) take your kids back in time…into the Bible…and behind the scenes to reveal God’s love for us and His plan to perpetuate through His priests until He comes again the re-presentation of His Offering Himself for us!

Did you know:
—2/3 of Catholics do not understand the Real Presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist? it actually makes sense if you go through the gentle revelation of this mystery from the Old to the New Testaments!
–Nor do they comprehend what is going on in the Holy Mass (and why we do what we do, and the priest does what he does)?

And we reveal Eucharistic miracles that will astound you! There is a reason for our belief and our trust in the promises of God!

Get this 2-DVD set, so YOUR children will know–and be able to explain!–this wonder of God’s love!