CATERING FOR FIRST COMMUNION HOLY PARTY

The sacrament of receiving first Holy Communion is a special event for many families in the Catholic Church community. It signifies when a child is first allowed to receive Christ through bread and wine. The ceremony is usually done with all of the parish children receiving the sacrament together and many families plan a celebration after. Depending on the size of the guest list and the venue chosen, there can be many details to consider when planning the party, so here are some tips to help break it down and make it easier to decide how you will celebrate your child’s First Holy Communion:

1) Decide who you will invite to the ceremony (you may be limited depending on your church) and how many will be invited to the party. You can decide to invite more people to the party than the ceremony and this may affect where you decide to hold the party.

2) Many families choose to have the party at home or in a hall, banquet facility or other type of community center or multipurpose facility. If you party is large having it at home may not be a viable option, so consider the amount of people who will attend and choose your venue carefully to make sure there is plenty of room for every guest.

3) Your guests will most likely range in age from the very young to adult, it’s important to have plenty of activities and entertainment for everyone. If you choose to hire a DJ or some other form of entertainment be sure to meet with them ahead of time to discuss preferences, venue and set up. You can also decide if you will provide games or other forms of entertainment for the children. This can be a lot of fun and everyone will enjoy taking part in the festivities.

4) Oftentimes families whose children are making their communion decide to plan a joint celebration, and sometimes the church will allow these to be held onsite in the parish center. Again, there will be a tremendous amount of people, so be sure to provide enough seating, tables and entertainment for everyone.

5) Because of the varied age groups that attend Communion parties, choosing foods that will appeal to kids as well as adults is important. Kids enjoy things like chicken fingers, sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, while adults will look for pasta or meat dishes. Always serve with plenty of bread and a salad to help bulk up the meal so everyone has enough to eat.

6) The traditional dessert for a Communion party is a cake with white icing and religious decorations and inscriptions. If you are having the party catered be sure to check what is available, or if you are working with an outside bakery there may be many options for your dessert. You can choose to serve it with or without ice cream, or even cupcakes have been popular lately.

7) Party favors are a nice way to thank you guests for being a part of your child’s special day. Chocolate pops shaped like crosses are a very popular party favor for Communion parties and can be customized depending on how early you place your order.

Planning a party for your child’s First Communion does not have to be a difficult task. Contact Jacques Catering and we can help with everything from rentals for tents, tables, chairs, linens, place settings and glassware to a delicious meal for your guests. Our special occasion menu has everything your guest will be looking for at your party. Click here to view our menu or visit the rental section on our website for more information. We look forward to helping your family celebrate your child’s First Holy Communion this spring season.

By Frank Mamola