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Unlike most of my friends I did not attend public school. My parents sent me to a Catholic school as a child. As children we were taught how to say our daily prayers. We were also thought Bible stories from Noah’s Ark to modern inspirational stories. One of the most unforgettable stories was the “gift of the magi“.
There are two versions of the gift of the magi. The most popular one was about the wise men called the magi who brought gifts for the baby Jesus. The wise men brought gold, frankincense and myrrh. Another version of the gift of the magi was about a husband and a wife who loved each other but were each very poor. The wife cut off her long beautiful hair and sold it so she could buy a chain for her husband’s pocket watch.
The Jews are blessed with a rich history. They have a written account that span over 4000 years. They are also a people that have tasted oppression over and over again. This oppression has made them a strong willed people. It is this oppression that made their bond with each other stronger. To honor their heritage give them Jewish gifts.
The perfect gifts to give to Jews are the ones that remind them of their greatness. The Jewish gifts that are very popular are pendants of the Star of David and any gifts related to the Passover. The Passover celebrates the time when God inflicted ten plagues to infest Egypt. The last of these plagues is the striking down by God of all the firstborns. Only a blood marking in the door of a household of the Jews prevented the slaughter of their firstborns. When the Spirit of God saw this mark, the Spirit will pass over it. That’s where the Passover came from.
There is a wide range of religious objects that is good for gift-giving. When given as a gift religious objects are meant to enhance a person’s devotion. Books on the lives of saints and on topics such as the history of Christianity are interesting reading for those passionate about their religion. It provides resources by which people can emulate the way saintly people lived. It is something that are read and re-read by deeply by people who want to learn more about Christianity.
We are familiar with common Christian gifts. Items such as crucifixes, prayer beads and Bibles are popular Christian gifts. They are items that are used in every day religious practices. Candles are the most consumable gifts of all. You can give candles year in and year out; it will always be a welcome present.
God should always be the center of our lives and this begins in infancy. When we give religious items as gift, it is an act of sharing your faith with the receiver of the gift. There are several baptism gifts Catholic Church would highly recommend. These are mostly items that would nourish the child’s soul. They may be considered very simple but are truly meaningful.
Baptism gifts Catholic babies receive could be in different kinds. There are little baby bracelets that could serve both as a jewelry and a chaplet he/she could use once he/she starts praying. Catholic music is now recorded in CDs which could be a perfect gift the baby could listen to and probably sing with. There are also baptism books that could reveal to the child how huge God’s love is for mankind. It doesn’t matter what type of religious item a child receives, what’s important is he/she grows believing that God’s love is boundless and that he/she is a product of that love.
Many recall the story of the birth of Jesus and one of the highlights of the story is when the three magi visit the baby Jesus. There are three gifts given and one of the gifts of the magi can easily be found today. Though not in its original form, it’s the best alternative in today’s times.
The Gift of the Magi is myrrh incense that you can easily light up. The wonderful scent immediately sweeps through the whole room and purifies your home. You can burn the incense before you start your prayers or bible sessions to have pure and clean environment. The Gift of the Magi has instructions on how to use the incense.
I had a client who was Jewish. When his son celebrated his Bar Mitzvah, I decided to send two kosher gift baskets, one for my client, one for his son. I did not know where to get the gift baskets so I went online to purchase them. It was reasonable price and can be delivered anywhere in the United States. Before sending the basket though, I learned all about kosher food online.
Kosher is based on a set of rules in the Jewish bible on how food should be prepared. Jewish folks who consciously eat these specially prepared foods are considered to be kosher. For those of us who do not know how to cook this way, kosher gift baskets are the best alternative. With online shopping, you can choose from several kosher gift baskets available for delivery. I chose to send a gift basket with bread and nuts for my boss’ party.
When I lived in New York a few years ago, I was exposed to people from all walks of life. Having grown up in Catholic family, I now had Jewish colleagues whose customs I did not know about. My Jewish roommate observed all the traditional Jewish customs. She would make Jewish gifts to give to her Jewish friends during Jewish holidays.
My roommate told me about her nephew’s bar mitzvah. She prepared Jewish gifts that were mostly pastries and bread to give to her nephew. Apparently, a bar mitzvah or bat mitzvah was a milestone in every Jewish boy or girl’s life. My roommate also told me that her son was studying to be a rabbi in Israel. From her I learned that the Jews could only marry fellow Jews. When I left to go back home I was only able to write to her once, there were no emails yet back then so we both had to settle for snail mail.
Through the sacrament of confirmation, Catholics ask for and receive the Holy Spirit. It is believed to increase and deepen the grace received from baptism. It is also a re-affirmation of a person’s beliefs in the tenets of the Catholic Church. Before he can be confirmed, he should have been baptized and should be in the state of grace. The age at which a child can be confirmed is definitely after the age of reason, but the exact date will be at the discretion of the bishop.
The rite of confirmation is a happy occasion. The child has a sponsor who is of age, of the same sex as the child and is well instructed in the faith. The child will usually have a catholic confirmation gift and a celebration with family and friends including the sponsor. The gift will appropriately be a religious item like a rosary, a children bible of maybe a crucifix. Gifts not necessarily religious may also be given.
A lot of people appreciate receiving something that inspires faith. This year, resolve to give your loved ones a religious gift each for their birthdays or other occasions. There are many religious gifts to choose from that can show how much you care for a person.
Some great gift ideas include:
~Angel figurines
~Catholic candles
~Catholic Christian books
~Christian jewelry
~DVDs of movies or documentaries about Christianity
In a religious country, it is common to give gifts related to Catholicism. It is always appreciated when one gets a bible as a gift, especially if it is nicely bound or if it comes in quality paper. These are well taken care of and when it is the right time, it is gifted to one of the children. It is expected that he will also take care of it and keep it well preserved. In due time, it can be passed on to the next generation.
Other occasions when gifts are expected are during baptism. The Catholic baptism gift may range from expensive crosses or bracelets encrusted with gems to simple medals or children’s book of bible stories. A nice frame to hold a picture of the occasion will be a unique and personalized present. A music box decorated with angels and playing baby songs will be accepted warmly. You can find all these in stores that specialize in Catholic gifts.