Gift Ideas for the Sacraments

It can be hard to know what kind of gift to get for someone celebrating their First Communion or Baptism. After spending the last 5 years working with religious merchandise at St. Patrick's Guild, I've come to learn what some of the best gifts are for each of the sacraments. Here are a couple of gift ideas for the next time you are celebrating a sacrament.

Baptism: Crib Medals are a beautiful baptismal gift. With an image of a guardian angel on them, these medals serve as protection for the new baby and are a gentle reminder of God throughout the day.

Penance: With a sacrament that is focused around reflection and prayer, rosaries are a perfect gift.

First Communion: There are so many options for First Communion. Personalized items with the child's name and First Communion date are a wonderful way to help them remember their very special day.

Confirmation: The most popular idea for Confirmation gifts are patron saint items. Find out what the confirmant's chosen Confirmation name is, and a saint medal or statue of their chosen saint is a great gift.

I hope these ideas help. There is so much more at the St. Patrick's Guild website if you want more options.

Baby gifts! Shower the new baby in your life...

A few months ago, I posted about the most common wedding months since I figured many readers would want some wedding gift ideas. Because I am currently pregnant (with twins!) and just had a baby shower (at which I received many lovely baby gifts), it got me thinking about the most common month in which to have a baby. For those of you who have recently attended a baby shower or received a birth announcement or are expecting a Baptism/Christening invite in your mailbox, you won't be surprised to hear that August is the most popular birth month.

Some sources, however, state that September is the most common birth month or at least as common as August. Either way, there are babies being born right and left! Baby showers, Baptisms, Christenings and hospital visits are all common activities these days.

The most common birthdate is October 5. Interestingly, I am due November 5, but the average gestation for twins is 36 weeks - meaning I may just have my sons on the most popular birthday of the year!

If you're looking for baby shower gift ideas, check out the Guild's bestsellers:
http://www.stpatricksguild.com/browse.cfm/2,2334.html

The general Baptism and Christening portion of the website can be found here:
http://www.stpatricksguild.com/browse.cfm/2,502.html