Anonymous wrote:You wouldn't put "no gifts" on an invitation for an occasion that doesn't have a gift giving expectation. No gifts for a wedding, or b'nai mitzvah, or birthday? OK but to put it on a communion invitation would be very odd.

It's odd to put "no gifts" for a party for someone if you don't want gifts? That's odd that you think that. Where I live people bring gifts to a party for someone, and first communion party definitely has a "gift giving expectation".

Anonymous wrote:My kids at 7 absolutely got the idea of being honored with a charitable donation. Would they have preferred a toy? Probably, but they also would have preferred a toy to the donations to their college fund that a lot of family gave them.

This isn't about you, though, is it? OP didn't ask what you wanted or what your kids were taught,

Anonymous wrote:Donation gifts are great ideas when "no gifts" is requested with the invitation, of the guest of honor requests "in lieu of".

Otherwise they are inappropriate.

Give the damned 7 year old kid a fricking present.

You wouldn't put "no gifts" on an invitation for an occasion that doesn't have a gift giving expectation. No gifts for a wedding, or b'nai mitzvah, or birthday? OK but to put it on a communion invitation would be very odd.

My kids at 7 absolutely got the idea of being honored with a charitable donation. Would they have preferred a toy? Probably, but they also would have preferred a toy to the donations to their college fund that a lot of family gave them.

An IUD would make a great gift. I kid, I kid. Not really, actually.

Money is fine. $50-$100.

Anonymous wrote:We usually give pearl earrings

OP says “he”.

Donation gifts are great ideas when "no gifts" is requested with the invitation, of the guest of honor requests "in lieu of".

Otherwise they are inappropriate.

Give the damned 7 year old kid a fricking present.

How is this a gift?

BTW are you invited to the party. I had all of mine in restaurants at lunch with beer and wine. I have a speech thanking guests, folks wore jackets.

I put cash gifts in kids bank accounts. And they wrote thank you notes.

We usually give pearl earrings

Anonymous wrote:I was thinking a donation card to the World Wildlife Organization (he’s crazy for animals and very interested in them)in his name for $100? Is that good? I was told that toys or monetary gifts to the child were frowned upon for such a religious event.

Or something else? Not being Catholic I don’t feel comfortable getting him a medal or anything religious.

Perfect! It reinforces a Catholic value you share, so it's related without going against your own beliefs.

Anonymous wrote:Perfect gift! And very generous.

Disagree. While it is indeed a (possibly overly) generous amount to spend I don’t think many 7-8 year olds are realistically going to appreciate a charitable donation in their name- even if it is to a cause they are interested in, unless there’s some kind of experiential element that they can connect to directly. I would say save those types of gifts for adults/teens who can better appreciate them and let kids be kids.

We are a fairly religious Catholic family and I definitely don’t think there’s any stigma against giving a toy or a small monetary gift for a first communion. In contrast I’d find it somewhat strange for a non family member/godparent to give a religious medallion/cross etc, especially if they themselves were not religious. Also definitely no need to spend $100 (unless you run in particularly wealthy circles) $20-25 is perfectly fine. Barring a close family connection I would spend along the lines of what you would for a birthday gift.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That sounds like a nice gift. Though I will say money for a first communion gift is pretty typical, at least it is in my Irish catholic family. Maybe it’s frowned upon in some other traditions, but not ours.

Ha! This Irish Catholic agrees that monetary gifts are quite prevalent in our family. My parents give each grandchild a $100 bill, plus another gift! Not that you need to do that as a guest. My kids got between $20 and $50 from family friends who came to their celebrations. My cousin got a baseball bat from his mom and my DS got a long pole from us. Anything goes, OP. Anything goes.

My off-the-boat dad used to reference first communion gifts to describe someone tight with money. “Sure, he still has his first communion money” would mean your man never spent spent a thing a hoarded his cash.

Anonymous wrote:That sounds like a nice gift. Though I will say money for a first communion gift is pretty typical, at least it is in my Irish catholic family. Maybe it’s frowned upon in some other traditions, but not ours.

Ha! This Irish Catholic agrees that monetary gifts are quite prevalent in our family. My parents give each grandchild a $100 bill, plus another gift! Not that you need to do that as a guest. My kids got between $20 and $50 from family friends who came to their celebrations. My cousin got a baseball bat from his mom and my DS got a long pole from us. Anything goes, OP. Anything goes.

That sounds like a nice gift. Though I will say money for a first communion gift is pretty typical, at least it is in my Irish catholic family. Maybe it’s frowned upon in some other traditions, but not ours.

Anonymous wrote:I was thinking a donation card to the World Wildlife Organization (he’s crazy for animals and very interested in them)in his name for $100? Is that good? I was told that toys or monetary gifts to the child were frowned upon for such a religious event.

Or something else? Not being Catholic I don’t feel comfortable getting him a medal or anything religious.

I love it - is there something a little more local that a 7 YO can connect with for the donation? Are they in DC and is there a specific area in the DC Zoo ? Or the local Animal Rescue League? I would not overthink it / spend too much time as it is a very thoughtful (and generous) gift.

Perfect gift! And very generous.

I was thinking a donation card to the World Wildlife Organization (he’s crazy for animals and very interested in them)in his name for $100? Is that good? I was told that toys or monetary gifts to the child were frowned upon for such a religious event.

Or something else? Not being Catholic I don’t feel comfortable getting him a medal or anything religious.