First Holy Communion timing, costs and what to write

First Holy Communion lands at around seven or eight, at the end of a preparation year the whole family has lived through. By the day itself the child knows exactly what is happening, which changes how you write the card.

Below: the timeline from enrolment to the party, what the outfit, cake and celebration cost in the UK in 2026, and wording written to be read by the child rather than their parents.

Timing: the preparation year

• September to October: enrolment through the parish or the Catholic school, usually in Year 3.
• Autumn to spring: weekly or fortnightly preparation classes, plus a parents' evening or two.
• Lent: first confession, normally a few weeks before communion itself.
• April to June: the communion Mass, usually a Saturday morning or a Sunday, often in groups.
• Six weeks before: buy the outfit and book the venue if you're having more than family back.
• Two weeks before: cake, decorations and the card. Communion cards sell out locally in May.
• The day: a full Mass of about an hour, photographs outside, then the party.

Costs in the UK

• Outfit: £40 to £150 for a dress, veil and shoes; £40 to £100 for a suit. Second-hand groups halve this.
• Rosette, gloves or accessories: £10 to £30.
• Photographs: £60 to £250 for a package, or free if a relative is decent with a camera.
• Cake: £50 to £130 from a bakery, or £15 plus a topper at home.
• Venue: £15 to £40 an hour for a hall; most families use home or the parish centre.
• Food for 30: £120 to £300 catered, £70 to £120 self-catered.
• Typical total: £400 to £1,000, with the outfit and food the two big lines.

Gift budgets

• Guests: £15 to £30.
• Aunts, uncles and cousins: £20 to £40.
• Godparents: £30 to £75.
• Grandparents: £50 to £100, often savings or a piece of jewellery kept for later.
• Money is normal and expected. Name what it's for in the card so it doesn't vanish.
• Traditional gifts: missal, rosary, cross or a first bible. We don't stock those - a Catholic gift shop will.

What to write: to the child

• Congratulations on your First Holy Communion, Sophie. You've worked so hard for today.
• Happy Communion Day. We're so proud of you - enjoy every bit of it.
• On your First Holy Communion: may today be the first of many happy days.
• You looked so grown up today. Congratulations on your First Holy Communion.
• Well done for all the classes, all the practising and all the early Saturdays. Enjoy your day.

What to write: religious wording

• May God bless you today and always on your First Holy Communion.
• Wishing you peace and joy as you receive Jesus for the first time.
• On this special day, may your faith grow with you. Congratulations.
• Praying for you today and celebrating with you. Happy First Holy Communion.

Wording rules

• Write to the child. They can read it, and they will.
• Keep it to five lines and use plain words - no "sacrament" if you can help it.
• Say one specific thing you're proud of: the classes, the nerves, the singing.
• Sign with your relationship as well as your name: "Auntie Kate", not just "Kate".
• Add the date. In fifteen years it'll be the only record of when it was.

Shop communion cards

Cards for the day

Blank inside, posted first class the same working day.

How to write it so it lands

• Buy the card in April - local shops run out by mid-May.
• Put the money in the card in a named envelope with what it's for written on it.
• Photographs outside the church are the ones that get framed; get there early enough to take them.

Where to shop next

• Religious milestones hub
• Religious milestones explained
• Milestone collections
• Christening timing, costs and wording
• Baptism timing, costs and wording
• Communion timing, costs and wording
• Confirmation timing, costs and wording
• Naming ceremony timing, costs and wording
• Holy Communion explained
• First Holy Communion gifts
• What to write in a communion card
• Communion quiz questions
• First Holy Communion cards
• Communion gifts
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas

Frequently asked questions

What age is First Holy Communion?

Around seven or eight, in Year 3, after a preparation year that usually starts the previous September.

When do communions take place?

Most UK parishes hold them between April and June, on a Saturday morning or within a Sunday Mass, often in groups.

How much does First Holy Communion cost?

£400 to £1,000 for a typical UK celebration, with the outfit at £40 to £150 and food for 30 at £120 to £300 the biggest costs.

How much money do you give for a communion?

Guests £15 to £30, wider family £20 to £40, godparents £30 to £75 and grandparents £50 to £100.

What do you write in a First Holy Communion card?

Write to the child, congratulate them by name, add one line of pride and one blessing if that fits your family, then sign with your relationship and the date.