Posted from Ireland · Collect in Roscommon

Gifts · First Holy Communion

First Holy Communion gifts: a statue for their own room

Most of the money given on Communion day is spent by June. A statue of their own, chosen with them in mind, is the present they are still likely to have when they make their own children’s Communion.

A statue of St Thérèse of Lisieux holding roses on a chest of drawers in a bright bedroom, with a rosary hanging beside the mirror

The day, and why a statue fits it

In most Irish parishes First Holy Communion comes in the spring, often in May, for children in second class. It is the first time they receive Our Lord in the Eucharist, and for many families it is the biggest day of the year: the dress or the suit, the photographs outside the church, the cards from every aunt and neighbour.

A statue fits the day because it carries on what the day began. The preparation in school and at home is about a friendship with Jesus. A statue in their room — a face they can say their night prayers to — keeps that friendship visible after the excitement has passed. It is also one of the few Communion gifts a child can bring with them when they eventually leave home.

Grandparents and godparents tend to give statues, because they are thinking in decades rather than weeks. If you want your gift to be the one that is still on display, this is a good way to do it.

Which statue for a Communion child

  • The Sacred Heart of Jesus

    The obvious choice for a day that is about receiving Jesus. A Sacred Heart in a child’s room says plainly who the day was about.

  • Our Lady

    Many families give Our Lady to a Communion child, often in the month of May, which is dedicated to her. Our Lady of Grace and Our Lady of Lourdes are gentle, familiar figures for a bedroom.

  • St Thérèse of Lisieux

    Thérèse longed for her First Communion and wrote about it as “a kiss of love”. She is a lovely saint for a girl, and the roses she holds appeal to children.

  • St Joseph with the Child Jesus

    A good choice for a boy — a father holding a child, which young children understand immediately.

  • St Bernadette

    The poor girl of Lourdes made her own First Communion as a teenager, after much struggle to learn her catechism. A quiet encouragement for any child who finds school hard.

  • The Holy Family

    If you would rather give something to the whole family to mark the day, the Holy Family suits the kitchen or the sitting room.

Practical things to think about

Size matters more for a child than for an adult. Our statues are not miniatures — check the height on each product page and picture it in the room: on top of a chest of drawers, on a sturdy shelf, or standing in a corner the child can kneel in front of. Where a statue comes in more than one size, the smallest is usually the right one for a bedroom.

Resin is much lighter than stone, but it is still a statue and not a toy, so place it where it will not be knocked over by a game or a pet. Marble is lovely but heavy and a far larger gift; it suits a family heirloom more than a child’s room.

Order in good time before the day, especially for marble, which we deliver ourselves. If you have a date in mind, ask us before you order and we will tell you honestly what is possible.

Many families ask the priest to bless the statue on the day itself, after the Communion Mass, so that the child sees it being blessed. It only takes a minute.

First Communion gift questions

Is a statue a suitable gift from a godparent?

Very much so. Godparents promised at baptism to help the child grow in the faith, and a statue for their room is a gentle way to keep that promise visible.

Boy or girl — does it matter which statue?

Not really. Our Lady and the Sacred Heart suit any child. Some families like a saint who shares the child’s name, or St Joseph for a boy and St Thérèse for a girl, but there is no rule.

Can you send it straight to the family?

Yes, anywhere in Ireland: enter their address as the delivery address at checkout. For a marble statue, add a phone number so the delivery can be arranged with them.

Do you engrave names or dates?

We do not offer engraving through the website. If you want something personal, write a card to go with it.

Help choosing for a Communion child

Tell us the child’s age and where the statue will go, and we will suggest something the right size.

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