The short answer

The classic confirmation gift is a Bible of their own, chosen for how they will read it, with a short note and a verse written inside. If they already have a Bible, give something they will open in the months after the day: a book of Scripture on one theme such as faith or prayer, or a small set. Money and amounts are a family custom; a book with a handwritten note is the part people keep.

For Catholics, confirmation is a sacrament, usually received in the teenage years, with a sponsor and often a confirmation name. In Lutheran, Anglican, Methodist and other churches, a young person baptized as a child confirms that faith for themselves; in Denmark and Germany, Konfirmation is also a big family day. Either way, it is a step into an adult faith, and the best gifts help with what comes next.

Five kinds of confirmation gift that last

  1. A Bible of their own. Many confirmands still have the children’s Bible they were given at eight. A grown-up Bible says “this is yours now”: a complete Bible if they have none, or a New Testament they will carry and open.
  2. Books of Scripture on one theme. A short book on faith, prayer or purpose can be read in a week and returned to for years.
  3. From the sponsor or godparent. In many families they give the Bible or the keepsake, and the family gives money or a party.
  4. A cross or a piece of jewellery, often engraved with the date. It is worn rather than read, so pair it with a verse.
  5. A letter. Whatever you give, a handwritten letter about your own faith, or about what you see in them, is often the gift people keep longest.

Which Bible to give a confirmand

Three questions settle it. Which translation does their church read? If you do not know, ask the parents or the parish; for Catholics it will be a Catholic edition such as the NABRE or the RSV Catholic Edition, which contains 73 books. Will they carry it or keep it? A New Testament is light enough for a bag; a complete Bible stays on a shelf. What will make them open it? For some teenagers that is a modern translation; for others it is a book that looks unlike anything else on their shelf.

That is where our books fit, and where they do not. We print the New Testament, not the whole Bible, in the King James Version, the World English Bible, German and Danish. The Black Edition has white text on black pages and the White Edition black text on white; both print the words of Jesus in red, and both come in hardcover $80, softcover $60 or eBook $10. For a German or Danish confirmation, the Lutherbibel 1912 and the Danish 1907 books are the same design in their own language. If they need a complete Catholic Bible, buy that from their parish or a Catholic bookshop; it is the better gift, and you can add a small book from us alongside it.

The seven gifts of the Spirit, and a verse to go with them

Catholic confirmation preparation teaches the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord. The list comes from Isaiah 11. The Hebrew names six; the old Greek and Latin translations give seven names, and the seven became the tradition:

Yahweh’s Spirit will rest on him: the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of Yahweh.

KJVAnd the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;

Isaiah 11:2 · World English Bible, with the King James Version

A verse from the passage written inside the cover connects the gift to the day. So does a verse of encouragement for the years ahead:

being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

KJVBeing confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Philippians 1:6 · World English Bible, with the King James Version

The Confirmation set: five short books of Scripture

For a confirmand who already has a Bible, we put together five of our theme books of Scripture as a Confirmation set: Faith, Prayer, Character, Forgiveness and Purpose. Each gathers the passages of the Bible on its subject, printed in full with their references and grouped in short sections, with no commentary between the reader and the text, and the words of Jesus in red. Each is 44 to 50 pages: short enough to finish, which matters at fifteen. When we compiled them we kept every passage whole, with its reference, so a reader can find it again in any Bible.

Printed books are printed to order and sent to the address you enter at checkout, so you can send them straight to the confirmand; shipping is calculated at checkout and free over $80. Allow time: the product page shows the estimated delivery window for your address before you buy, so check it against the date of the service.

What to write inside

Keep it short and personal: their name, the date and the church, one sentence from you, a verse, and your name. For example:

For Emma, on your confirmation at St Mark’s, 16 May. You have chosen this for yourself; I am so glad. “Be strong and courageous.” Joshua 1:9. With love, Aunt Kate.

Our guide What to write in a Bible you are giving has more wording for confirmations, baptisms, weddings and new believers, with verses that fit each one and tips for writing on black pages.

Is it customary to give a sponsor a gift?

In many families, yes: a small thank-you from the confirmand to the sponsor or godparent who has walked with them. A theme book such as Prayer or Faith with a note in the confirmand’s own words is a thoughtful one. There is no rule, and nothing is expected.

Questions about confirmation gifts

What is an appropriate gift for a confirmation?

A Bible of their own, a book of Scripture on one theme, a cross or a keepsake engraved with the date, or money, depending on your family’s custom. Whatever you choose, a handwritten note with a verse is what most people keep.

What is the best Bible to give for a confirmation?

One in the translation their church reads, in a format they will actually open. For Catholics that is a Catholic edition with 73 books. If they already own a Bible, a New Testament they can carry or a short book of Scripture on one theme is often read more.

How much should I spend on a confirmation gift?

Customs vary widely between families, churches and countries, and there is no rule. A meaningful book with a note does not need to be expensive: our theme books start at $30 as a softcover.

What are the seven gifts of confirmation?

In Catholic teaching, the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord, drawn from Isaiah 11:2–3 as the Greek and Latin translations read it.

What do I write in a confirmation card or Bible?

Their name, the date and the church, one personal sentence, a verse such as Philippians 1:6 or Joshua 1:9, and your name. Short is better than long.

Can I send a confirmation gift straight to the confirmand?

Yes. Our printed books are printed to order and sent to the address you enter at checkout. Check the delivery window on the product page against the date of the service.

How we wrote this guide. We make books of Scripture, including the Confirmation set, so we have an interest; the guide also recommends complete Bibles we do not sell. The description of the seven gifts follows the Catechism of the Catholic Church, linked below. The quotations are from the World English Bible and King James texts we print, and the prices are read from our shop’s configuration when the guide is built. Published 26 October 2026.

Sources and further reading