Parents spending €5,000 on their child’s First Holy Communion has been described as a “form of absolute madness”. 

While the cost of living pushes the price of everything up, communion celebrations seem to be suffering from a form of hyper inflation. 

The day now often costs parents’ thousands, with expensive new clothes and external venue hire now considered almost standard. 

“No three words age you quicker than ‘in my day’,” Irish Independent journalist Tanya Sweeney told Newstalk Breakfast. 

“But of course, I started on with the ‘in my day we didn't have any of this business’. 

“I said to my husband, I am absolutely not going to go there and I'm not getting chocolate fountains when my time comes for the first communion. 

“Of course, he turned around ‘Well, you say that now’. 

“He knows as well as I do that there's so much pressure on parents - this is an evergreen.” 

Children at their First Holy Communion. Picture by: Alamy.com. 

Ms Sweeney continued that she understands why people want to celebrate the landmark, but feels there is no need for such excesses. 

“Life is very, very bleak the rest of time; why not throw everything you've got at a huge celebration for your entire family?” she said. 

“I'll tell you why, because not very many of us have five grand or thereabouts just lying about to celebrate the placing of a wafer on a child's mouth. 

“To me, it's a form of absolute madness.” 

Ms Sweeney said spending large sums creates “one upmanship and competitiveness”, which ultimately impacts the poorest in society. 

“Very often it is the people that can least afford it are the ones who are keeping up with the Joneses the most,” she said. 

“I think it takes a very strong parent to turn around and go, ‘We're not doing that’.”

Main image: Children at their First Holy Communion. Picture by: Alamy.com.