PARTY BAGS AND FIRST HOLY COMMUNION
There are many landmark events in your child’s life and First Holy Communion is one of them. I t is a very special occassion where the child receives the sacrament of First Holy Communion with his / her school class and is proudly supported by family. Because it is such a major milestone it is a perfect opportunity to gather extended family and friends to celebrate.
It is very important not to lose sight of the religious aspect of the day and give it the priority it warrants but once that is element is arranged the focus should switch to organising a a party that includes family and friends.
As with all parties I cannot emphasise how important it is to plan in advance. The only thing that will not change is the date. This will be set by the local parish and school so once it is confirmed you can start planning.
The first big decision will centre on where you should hold the party. Basically you have four choices
1. Host the party in your home and do the catering yourself
2. Host the party at home and employ outside caterers
3. Host the party in a venue outside the home and do the catering yourself
4. Host the party in a venue outside the home and let them also look after the catering
The two main influences on what you decide will be
1. The size of your house
2. Budget
There is no doubt that doing all the catering in your own home will save money but that must be balanced with the space available. If you are using the First Holy Communion party as a chance to invite extended family and friends you are more than likely going to need quite a bit of space and don’t forget there will be a mixture of adults and children. The younger guests will need plenty of room to run around and burn off some energy.
The option of doing the catering yourself in an alternative venue is not something I would recommend. The hassle of transporting food on the day of the Holy Communion is something you will not need.
Probably the best option is to host the party at home but get a little help. You could buy in the food and just heat it on the day or you could hire a catering company to do it all from start to finish. Hosting the First Holy Communion party in your home can be more relaxing for the guests and generates a more “family friendly” atmosphere.
No matter where you decide to host the party you will need First Holy Communion party supplies including invitations, balloons, tableware and of course party bags. More than likely there will be children involved and although it is a Holy Communion party they will look on it as any other type of party. They will expect sweets, games and party bags.
When it comes to the party bags, basically you have the same options as any birthday party, including pre filled party bags. In later posts I will deal with Holy Communion party bags in more detail.