Traditions of First Holy Communion

There are a lot of traditions imbedded within the rite of First Holy Communion. The traditional age for a child to go through this custom is 7 or 8 years old; around second grade.

Traditional First Holy Communion clothing varies from country to country. In certain European nations, both boys and girls wear plain white robes. In some Latin American countries, boys wear military style dress uniforms with gold braiding. Some cultures favor girls in dresses that have been passed down through the generations.

In western culture, the guide for First Holy Communion garb is simple. Boys usually wear suits or dressy slacks with a shirt, blazer and tie. Girls usually wear white dresses to symbolize purity, often with a lace veil or a wreath of flowers in her hair. If you want to see a complete stock of dresses, veils and boys attire, Catholic Supply has a vast collection. Click here to see clothing and accessories. An example of dresses, veils and white gloves (another traditional accessory) is shows below. This image comes courtesy of Gifts with Love.

Another traditional component of the First Holy Communion celebration experience is organizing family get-togethers. Because this rite of passage has such deep roots, family parties are a natural way to honor the shared experience. The blog Catholic Icing has a list of 14 exciting and unique traditions that your family can incorporate into the First Holy Communion ritual. From getting gifts blessed by the priest to saying a special prayer at dinner the night before the ceremony, these ideas are creative and easy to implement. Read the whole post here.