Celebrating Spirituality with Religious Gifts

Religious gifts often come to mind when specific occasions or events are planned. There are many traditional religious gifts given for occasions within every different religion or faith. Among the holidays and events most celebrated include the following:

Baptism
First Communion
Confirmation
Marriage
Reconciliation
Bat Mitzvah
Bar Mitzvah
Easter

Finding appropriate religious gifts depends in part upon the faith of the person enjoying a traditional religious holiday. Keepsakes are often appreciated and very commemorative of an important event such as a baby baptism. Many parents want to have keepsakes to remember the sacred events that mark the growing up of their children. Catholic children for example, experience many rites of passage as they continue on in their Christian career. These include baptism soon after birth, first communion, confirmation and later possibly marriage. Likewise, Jewish families celebrate their children's coming of age with a bar or bat mitzvah ceremony.

The Bar Mitzvah is celebrated when children make a conscious decision to observe the commandments; they are not obligated to do so until the age of 13 for boys or 12 for girls. The "Bar" is celebrated by male members of the religion while the "Bat" Mitzvah is celebrated by females.

Religious gifts are also often given to help an individual express their spirituality. Among the offerings commonly given include the following:

Jewelry
Figurines
Candles
Nativity Sets
Picture Frames
Crucifix
Icons

Every group has rituals and ceremonies particular to their faith systems. A Buddhist worshipper for example, might appreciate some incense for prayer and meditation or a figurine of Buddha for their altar or place of prayer. Religious gifts are meant as keepsakes, as tokens of good fortune and often as symbols or tools of an individual's spirituality.