My newphew is being confirmed next week. For those of you who are not Catholic, it's like renewing your baptism and commiment to follow Christ. (scroll down to bottom to see image)

We have had a hard time deciding what to give him as a gift and DH is his God Father and we need something of a religious nature.

Anyway I did this layout on the computer for Andrew, I know it's a bit hard to see but I'm looking for opinions mostly on the idea not the content. The top right hand corner is the story of St. Andrew and the bottom is a prayer to St. Andrew (who was a fisherman) so 2 meanings to the fish.

The layout is 8-1/2x11 and DH wants to get it framed. Which means I'll probably have to matt it and we would be looking at the finished product of the photo frame the next size up (can't remember the dimensions) but bigish. I can't make the layout any smaller because you won't be able to read the text. I don't want them to feel obligated to hang this in their house in case they hate it. DH is kind of looking for an easy out because he doesn't know what to get Andrew.

Any thoughts? What would you do with this if you received it? Honestly. I'm not looking for compliments.

Also, my SIL (Andrew's Mom) is big time into scrapbooking but she uses a 12x12 format which I can't print on my computer. Anyone have any suggestions on how I could matt or apply this to a back ground and she can just add into a scrap book?

What do you think is more fitting, having it framed or trying to make it into a scrapbook page?

By Kay on Monday, May 30, 2005 - 03:50 pm:

Is Andrew his birth name? I know that all of us in my family (both dh and I are lifelong Catholics) chose patron saints different from our birth saints. For example, my son Bobby chose St. Luke as his patron saint. Would it be more appropriate to do something in regard to his chosen saint? I'm Kay, but mine is St. Anne, mother of Mary. Just throwing it out there.

I think your layout is really nice, and it will be a really special gift. If it were a gift for my son back when he was confirmed (around age 13), he would have hung it in his room.

By Boxzgrl on Monday, May 30, 2005 - 04:09 pm:

I think it's a nice gift, though i'm not too familiar with the Catholic religeon.

By Jann on Monday, May 30, 2005 - 06:08 pm:

I might make it for the scrapbook. It' doesn't have to be 12x12, it could be 8x11 and then she could decorate around it.

By Amecmom on Monday, May 30, 2005 - 06:12 pm:

Ditto Kay.
Are you getting him something else as well or just this to memorialize the day?
Ame

By Mrsheidi on Monday, May 30, 2005 - 06:48 pm:

I just think it's a GREAT idea!! That's so thoughtful of you! Not sure about the saints myself, since I'm not Catholic, but that seems really neat! I'm sure he'll hang it up...it's something they never forget.

By Kate on Monday, May 30, 2005 - 08:07 pm:

Honestly, I received something like this when my DD was born and did not hang it up. It's a beautiful page but I would scrapbook it. I, personally, don't know any boys that age who would want to hang it up in their room, but I don't know your nephew.

There are really good Christian devotionals out there for teen boys...that's what I would be inclined to get him. Or a good teen NIV Bible with real life applications and such.