By KAITLIN KLEIN
WONDERFUL ADVENTURE
My sister-in-law recently married, and she and her husband plan to spend many months traveling. They had no wedding registry because they didn’t want to have to leave things behind. We started brainstorming meaningful gifts that don’t take up (much) space and that highlight the value of our beautiful Catholic faith – while still respecting their desires.
- Holy water – This is a valuable sacramental to always have on hand. Especially when spending a lot of time in various settings and spending nights in new places, holy water can be used to sprinkle around the room and bless yourself. A bottle of three ounces or less would be the correct size for travel by plane and can be refilled at any Catholic Church.
- Blessed salt – You can ask a priest to bless any type of salt and gift a small container. It can be used in cooking, sprinkled in doorways, or kept in a pocket or car to provide spiritual protection.
- Subscription to the Hallow app – Hallow is a Catholic prayer and meditation app. It has recordings of prayers, music, reflections, the rosary, recordings for sleep and on a variety of other topics, and so much more. It is a wealth available right on your phone. Some content is free, but to unlock all of the app’s benefits, a subscription is required. A yearly subscription saves 44% and is $59.99.
- Written inspiration – This could be a nice option for a homemade gift. Make a bookmark or pocket-sized quote in your own handwriting. For our travel lovers, I’m writing this quote on a small piece of a map and laminating it: "Life with Christ is a wonderful adventure." – Saint John Paul the Great
- Rosary or rosary bracelet – Rosary bracelets double as jewelry and a rosary, and often have a small clip to move to mark your place. Decade rosaries are also small options.
- Medals – You are sure to find a special saint or patron-saint medal that fits your loved one. The Miraculous Medal was promised by Mary to St. Catherine Laboure to confer great graces. Medals are often available as pins or on a necklace or bracelet.
- Small crucifix – Crucifixes come in a variety of sizes and can be standing or handheld.
- Small Bible – Even though Bibles are easily accessible on phones in apps and online, there’s something different about reading from paper, and a book can be a welcome change from a screen.
- Faith-based necessities – Why not bring our faith more into daily living and gift a makeup bag with a Christian theme, a pair of saint socks, or a watchband inscribed with a Bible verse? If you have access to personalizing things yourself, the sky's the limit!
- Curated list of places to visit – If you know the person's travel plans in advance, you can do the research for them and curate a list of Catholic sites to see.
- Audio or digital book – If space is limited, encourage spiritual reading by purchasing an audio or digital book for them to take on the go.
Prayer bouquet – Say specific prayers for your loved one and his or her intentions and record what you did. Write it out on a piece of paper or send digitally. This is also an easy way to get a group of people to go in on a gift together and to provide support and love! Prayer is powerful; what a gift!