Well, yeah, but the gift’s not about you. It’s about the other person. If you’re concerned with what the gift says about you, buy yourself something. 
I’d give what I would give any 8 year old: a box of Lego (size and theme dependent on whatever is appropriate).
Point taken, brutha.
A card with 666 dollars in it.
Ooh, good one!
I say don’t bother getting anything religious. The religious relatives and the parents will take care of this. Heck, I’m religious and probably wouldn’t give a kid anything religious as a confirmation or communion gift. I figure the grandparents and parents will figure it out. Kids only need so many saint medals, Bibles and Bible story books.
If you don’t want to give him cash (which is probably not good for an 8-year-old) a timeless boy-ish gift is a great idea. Lego set, compass, fishing rod, basketball, RC car, train set, watch, wallet (as in a kid-friendly watch or wallet). Anything that says “new step in your life, little man.”
Catholicism isn’t really into that whole “Saved” thing.
Then he can make dioramas from Revelations!
I think kanikbird’s suggestion of a compass is a good one, but I also like this. Don’t worry about having already seen the movies: They only cover two of the books. In fact, that’s how I usually pitch it to the kids at church: Hey, you saw that one. Want to see what happens next?
Oh, and I recently got 'em dramatized on CD. Even having already read the books, it was a lot of fun.
This gets my vote, too. I only remember one gift I got for my First Communion, and that was my very first watch. Probably not so thrilling today, but I’d think along those terms - a gift that says “Congratulations, you’re growing up!” and neatly avoids the religious element.
Not to be a horse’s ass, but it’s Revelation- no s at the end. And that was a pretty good brick presentation except… they call that a Lamb? They got the Dragon & the Locusts & Demon Horsemen & Sea-Beast & Land-Beast done quite well, but they couldn’t do a better Lamb?
Lots of cash!
If he likes Lego, then one of the books from The Brick Testament series, e.g. The Brick Testament: Stories from the Book of Genesis: Bible stories illustrated using Lego bricks.
I got a Secret Agent kit when I was about the same age as the boy. It was more or less just a pen torch, a tiny knife, a plastic heliograph, plastic binoculars, a compass and a booklet with some really simple codes. Give the lad a present appropriate to his age, not his religion.
Or you could buy him a fake Pope Pius III shinbone for the lulz.
Personally, I think the stuff in the Brick Testament is too vile to give to a kid. But then, I’m an atheist and I think that of much of the bible. The good thing about Lego is that you can turn whatever you get into something else you do like, like killer robots or nuclear submarines.
Given review notices like “He’s also refreshingly honest about some parts of Genesis that tend to be ignored by Christians… This creative, iconoclastic book is colorful in every sense of the word”, and that the book is the work of an atheist, I’d’ve thought you’d be all over that. :dubious:
I think they key phrase in SP’s post was “… too vile to give to a kid.”
Carol, if you’re still out there, what did you end up with? I’m in the same position right now - 8 year old nephew too.
I have a communion to go to also. It’s also for a little boy. I just thought that was weird and wanted to share. I’m giving cash. That’s just how my family rolls.
For a child? This is more appropriate, surely.