Ikea advert and not wear a communion dress.

Gadfly

I think this is a brilliant ad on TV at the moment.

My daughters boyfriends sister turned around to her mother as asked why was the little girl in the Ikea advert not wearing her communion dress like all the other girls. The mother replied, "because she doesn't have to". Then the daughter said, "then that's what I'm doing"

Is this going to be a new thing for next Mays communion?

oh but they look so cute in their little white dresses :rolleyes:

Schism

It'll be long forgotten by then.

4zn76tysfajdxp

Gadfly wrote: »

My daughters boyfriends sister turned around to her mother as asked why was the little girl in the Ikea advert not wearing her communion dress like all the other girls.

Was she wearing it upside down?

bib836

great add...very clever

barnicles

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyIWVI6Z6OM

amdublin

Great song.

My name is URL

IKEA are notorious for great advertising

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFHRAuvjOtQ

bleg

Or just don't have a 1st communion. Makes more sense.

silverharp

barnicles wrote: »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyIWVI6Z6OM

got to love some of the commets on youtube----

"disgraceful, teaching people not to care about others, sod the wedding couple and what they want i will just do what i want. it should be banned"

Biggins

Advert is misleading to be honest, the Roman Catholic church here will no way allow the girl to be conferred unless ye adhere to their strict dress code.

ejmaztec

Biggins wrote: »

Advert is misleading to be honest, the Roman Catholic church here will no way allow the girl to be conferred unless ye adhere to their strict dress code.

Yep, the good old church prefers its sheep to be poor and to lash out for the "regalia".

ejmaztec

NoDrama wrote: »

You have a way with words.

Fugly

Anyone else really put off/disgusted by those white mini wedding dresses? It really pisses my off that a supposedly important day in a young catholics life is turned into a fashion show or worse the "I've spent more money than you have", hell and I'm not even catholic.

I know of several parish priests who've tried to make the children wear their uniforms, to prevent the day being turned into a display of one-up-manship amongst parents and to relieve the financial pressures. And every time a priest has tried it's the parents who insist upon the pathetic pagentry!
I really applaud parishs where the school uniform is a must for the day. And don't get me started on parents putting fake tan/nails/extensions:eek: on an 8yr old! or the ones who take the child out of school for a sun holiday (wtf?) or worse sun beds!

Then the daughter said, "then that's what I'm doing"

I'm glad there's at least one child with taste!
I really love Ikea's marketing, and if it banishes mini wedding dresses from my sight all the better!

ejmaztec

Perhaps IKEA will start selling flat-pack communion wear at reasonable prices?

Acacia

Biggins wrote: »

Advert is misleading to be honest, the Roman Catholic church here will no way allow the girl to be conferred unless ye adhere to their strict dress code.

And why should they? It's their rules and traditions, if you don't want to be a part of that, then don't bother. The white dresses are traditional for a reason.

I hardly think making your Communion is the most logical thing to do if you want to be an individual/ do your own thing, anyway.

Speaking as someone who has no time for th Chruch.

krudler

I just like the irony that Ikea are telling you to be individual...by buying their mass produced furntiture that thousands of other people will own as well...

citizen_p

My name is URL wrote: »

IKEA are notorious for great advertising

brillant

Acacia

krudler wrote: »

I just like the irony that Ikea are telling you to be individual...by buying their mass produced furntiture that thousands of other people will own as well...

Precisely what I thought when I saw the ad.

I also thought of 'Fight Club'. :pac:

K-Ren

The church aren't that bad when it comes to the dress-code for these events- at least they're still allowing the boys making commuinion to wear clothes.

Fugly

Biggins wrote: »

Advert is misleading to be honest, the Roman Catholic church here will no way allow the girl to be conferred unless ye adhere to their strict dress code.

It depends on the parish, several parishes insist on school uniforms, the white dress wore now differ greatly to those worn throughout history for the ceremony. Of all the parish priest I've discussed it with, of those who don't insist on the uniform, they would prefer the uniform or at least a "toning down" simplifying of the dresses. And I don't see the majority of priests refusing to conferr a little girl who was serious about her faith but wearing a dress from the ad.

Seeing as how the little girls are made up and highly sexualised by parents on the day I doubt a parent could be reprimaned for dressing their child in a sensible age appropriate dress, that happens to have colour.

W.B. Yeats

I'd love to see the rule where it says that a girl must wear a white dress
Tradition and rules are different things
Can anybody actually provide evidence or proof of the church insisting on this?
As far as I know its the parents that follow the tradition
Too easy to bash the church

Biggins

Acacia wrote: »

And why should they? It's their rules and traditions, if you don't want to be a part of that, then don't bother. The white dresses are traditional for a reason.

I hardly think making your Communion is the most logical thing to do if you want to be an individual/do your own thing, anyway.

Speaking as someone who has no time for the Church.

We didn't - so we opted out. Stuff them. Our kids are going to a non-religious school. We are getting buried (some far off day I hope) in a non-religious graveyard where we can actually say what the feck we want on our gravestones, etc.
They can keep their antiquated rules to themselves. Brides of Christ? Aaa.. no thanks. Its a money making racket nowadays.

I'm all for the school uniform bit (if the school has them already) as it will save parents further going into debt, save one lot trying to compete with the other and all that expensive fuss.

ejmaztec

Acacia wrote: »

And why should they? It's their rules and traditions, if you don't want to be a part of that, then don't bother. The white dresses are traditional for a reason.

I hardly think making your Communion is the most logical thing to do if you want to be an individual/ do your own thing, anyway.

Speaking as someone who has no time for th Chruch.

Traditional church-induced robbery.

Biggins

An article from '07 talking about both sides of a possible wider debate.

How your big days can leave you out of pocket

LIKE everything else in life Catholicism doesn’t come cheap.
Since the age of indulgences — when the Church levied a fee on the abolishment of sins — people have literally paid their way into heaven.

Every sacrament on the Catholic journey of life has a charge affixed.
From Baptism to matrimony to burial the issue of money is never far away.
While it seems cold and unspiritual to put a price tag on faith it is a fact of life. The Catholic Church in 2007 is an enormously wealthy institution.
Its fiscal power has been built up over centuries of charging people for its services. Indeed many of its detractors label Catholicism a greedy religion that runs a lucrative, worldwide simony racket.

Critics also suggest the Church sells Masses, indulgences and other graces for a price; then uses the money to gild its altars and fill Vatican coffers.
But most followers of the religion, even the al a-carte Catholics, are more than prepared to pay in search of the divine.
So what exactly is the price of salvation for God fearing Catholics in the world today? And should the same Godfearing Catholics we speak of be pointing the costly finger of blame back on themselves?

The first big financial outlay most Catholics will make is toward the sacrament of Communion — the cost of which has risen exponentially in the last decade.
Children today are demanding all the trimmings for their first Communions — and often the families who can least afford it are the ones most likely to splash out sums of up to £2,000 on the clothes and parties.
Some parents are paying as much as £500 for a dress and all the extras for a first communicant. Boys too can be expensive — especially if you’re opting for a hand-tailored, made-tomeasure suit which can cost as much as £250.

On top of this, many families use first Communion — like Confirmation — as an excuse to tog out the whole family.
Factor in the cost of a lunch in a hotel or restaurant or a party for relatives and friends and often families will find there is very little change out of £1,000.

There is a lot of evidence to show that it is the less well off families who are splashing the cash for their first Communion.
Research conducted by Limerick’s Paul Project in the early 1990s showed that low-income families making “special needs” social-welfare claims did so to raise money to cover Communion or Confirmation costs.

For one-third of the people surveyed, the payments — which ranged from £20 to £190 — were insufficient to meet the total costs of clothes.
More than half of these were willing to go into debt to make up the shortfall. Michael Wall, director of services at the society of St. Vincent De Paul, confirms that low-income families often prefer to buy new Communion clothes rather than take hand-me-downs for free.

He said: “People donate Communion dresses to us which often have cost hundreds of pounds.
“We offer them to people in need and sell the surplus in our shops to raise funds. “We find that people who seem short of money often prefer to buy their own dresses and that the people who buy the dresses in our shops are usually of reasonable means.”

And in today’s world of increasing Communion costs it’s not only their own child that causes parents’ expense. It’s the child’s friends as well as it has become the norm now to give some money to them as well.

Eileen McMahon, who saw her daughter make her Holy Communion last year, said: “I thought after forking out £300 for my daughter’s dress and shoes and another £500 for a buffet for the family, I had got away reasonably well.

“But I was soon told I needed to factor in the cost of hair, gloves, a bag and handouts to most of my daughter’s classmates.
“By the time I’d finally worked out all the costs I didn’t see change from about £1,500.”

With all the fuss about clothing and its costs it’s little wonder that many of the clergy fear that in all the commotion the religious nature of the event is being overlooked.
Several dioceses of the Catholic Church have introduced measures to prevent commercialism from entering the sacraments.
Yet the Church itself continues to levy a fee on church necessities.

If you want to get a Mass said for someone you have to first buy a Mass card and then pay the priest to get the card signed and offer up the Mass for your loved one. This is essentially the old practise of indulgences in a different form.

The traditional Irish Catholic Station Mass — which sees the priest call into local houses to say Mass — is another financial necessity that needs to be met.
The priest needs to be paid and most families who host the Mass will take the opportunity to give their house a makeover.

The Church has also started to make pre-marriage courses compulsory for couples that wish to marry in a Catholic church.
They generally cost around £100 but if you want the pleasure of a one-to-one course with your local priest the price can almost double up to £180.

It’s necessary also to pay the priest to marry you and most couples generally give around £300.

And one can’t forget the altar boys either as they generally want paying too.
The trend continues when the couple have their first child when they will be required to again pay the priest for the Baptism.
And it’s not just special occasions that you’re bound to dig deep — every Sunday the baskets will go round and you will be asked to donate. Money matters — even in church.

Matrimony is of course the gargantuan spend when it comes to being a Catholic. The average cost of an Irish wedding has doubled in the past 10 years to a whopping €30,000 — more than the deposit on a house.

So why have Irish weddings suddenly become such grandiose affairs?

Sunday Tribune fashion editor and editor of Confetti magazine Ciara Elliott says it’s simply a reflection of a buoyant economy.

“Time was your wedding day meant donning your best dress, arranging sandwiches and tea for neighbours and strolling down to the local church to be ‘handed over’ from father to new husband,” she says.

“These days the bride wants the whole shooting gallery of fabulous dress, classy reception, stylish hen weekend away and honeymoon to die for. And why wouldn’t they?

“With the rising economic tide, Ireland has taken a lot of its spending habits directly from America where weddings have been getting progressively more lavish since the 1980s.”

Four years ago Ireland had only four full-time wedding experts. Now there are 60. Managing director of Co-Ordination Made Easy Kate Deegan started her operation in 2002.

She said: “Our business is booming because couples want less stress and don’t mind paying extra money to ensure the wedding day runs smoothly.”
Certainly, not all couples are opting to celebrate in such an excessive way but things have moved on from the era of the homemade dress and cakes and ‘beef or salmon’.
But again this shouldn’t be the fault of the Church according to London parishioner Daire Whelan. He said: “People are creating the very situation they are criticising.

“The Catholic Church I’m sure would be more than happy if people would concern themselves more with the actual religious significance of the sacraments than with all the various trappings that come with these ceremonies.

“I think it’s crazy to criticise having to pay the priest. “He gets no other form of payment and at the end of the day he’s providing a service at the ceremony.
“People wouldn’t think twice about paying £300 on flowers and thousands of pounds on a venue yet they expect the church to provide for nothing?

“People should assess what it is that’s important and then try to make an argument. “I don’t know anyone else who would get up at 3am in the morning to tend to the sick and lonely.”
So what is the Catholic Church’s response to the rising prices of the modern wedding?

Unsurprisingly it’s very much out of touch with modern Ireland. Fr Gerard Godley of the Diocese of Kerry advocates using charity shops for wedding clothes.
He said: “It is a very good idea. It is for a good cause and takes away the money pressures that shouldn’t be there in the first place.”

But the price of being a Catholic doesn’t end there. Again when you are finally ready to meet your maker money and costs continue to come into the equation.
You can’t get into heaven without a funeral by a priest — a send-off which can cost anything up to £3,000.
And if you haven’t arranged things beforehand, your family will foot the bill.

It seems that being a Catholic in life is like everything else — all about the money. But who is to blame? You decide?

Source: http://archives.tcm.ie/irishpost/2007/03/07/story5352.asp

rubadub

Fugly wrote: »

Anyone else really put off/disgusted by those white mini wedding dresses?

yes, esp. when half of them aren't even virgins.;)

The girl in the ad is wearing a normal dress, which seems suitable enough and could be worn again. We wore school uniforms when it came to confirmation, and I think they still wear uniforms in the local school from then on, 20+years ago now.

Redzer7

bleg wrote: »

Or just don't have a 1st communion. Makes more sense.

An miss out on all the money :eek: no chance :rolleyes:

Red Sleeping Beauty

Biggins wrote: »

Advert is misleading to be honest, the Roman Catholic church here will no way allow the girl to be conferred unless ye adhere to their strict dress code.

Is that true ? My sister did her confirmation a few months ago and all the kids had on some kind of beige cloak. Or are you specifically talking about Communion ?

Fugly

From my own experience, I was raised catholic but no longer am. And the "wedding dress" is a tradition of the parents not the R.C church.

My eldest sister had her communion nearly 30 years ago and at the time the P.P was trying to insist that the children wore uniforms to remove the nonsense about dresses and most of the parents went nuts!

I mean it's a religious ceremony, it should focus on the religious aspect not the outfit. Every couple of years the PP tries to bring in the uniforms and for the last 30yrs unsuccessfully. It's lunacy, but the blame lays on the door of the family not the R.C church.

I know of parishs who currently have the uniform rule that every year the parents kick up a huge fuss about, esp. by those who don't attend mass at all except the day they get to tart their child up/make money, show up th neighbours and have piss-up.

There are parishs that have a cloak kids must wear again practical. I am not a religious person but I do have enough respect for others beliefs not to turn what is a special occasion for them into a mockery. I know in my nephews year a letter was sent to his class from the pp saying that if ppl who weren't practicising/serious about the faith and if they're child was not prepared and attending mass for a few months before hand he would not give them communion.

Ponster

W.B. Yeats wrote: »

Can anybody actually provide evidence or proof of the church insisting on this?

Pffff... you don't need proof in AH....

Biggins

Alan Rouge wrote: »

Is that true ? My sister did her confirmation a few months ago and all the kids had on some kind of beige cloak. Or are you specifically talking about Communion?

Communion.

Some of them to be fair (individual priests) are trying to move with the times (as can be seen by the article I posted above to also show this) however some are sticking with the normal white "Bride of Christ" practice and have 'asked' the dress to be part of the ceremony.

As things are seriously more tight at the moment, it would be very helpful to parents if the Roman Catholic church would provide some absolute clear clarification from Rome at this time in regards attire, state what their official stance is from the top (and not at a local level) and to be honest, do so again at every annual time for those that are upcoming towards these religious ceremonies.

The schools in return should also play their part more clearly. Some are trying but others are leaving it up to the parents so there is inevitable confusion and thus further expense, etc. Its just madness the money that is being wasted. Madness.

Crucifix

That sucks for girls. I was wearing jeans and a t-shirt/jumper/whatever at my communinion and conformation.

phasers

Is the white dress not tradition though? A symbol of something or other?

If you don't respect the religious traditions and customs, just don't have a communion ffs.

I hate that ad, how is being disrespectful to people's beliefs being a "rebel"?

Biggins

phasers wrote: »

Is the white dress not tradition though? A symbol of something or other?

Just in answer to that, I came across this (I've taken out possible non-relevant parts - sales site!):

...First Communion dresses are mostly in white as this color reflects purity. White is a symbolic mark of Catholic tradition to signify innocence and cleanliness of spirit...

...A trademark of the Churchs emphasis on propriety is the veil. It is worn to cover the face or the head as a religious item in honor of the sacredness of the church. It has also become a sought-after accessory to match the First Communion dress....

Source: http://www.isulongseophil.net/articles/first-communion-dress-for-your-little-girl.html

Also:

It is reckoned that the tradition of dressing little girls in white dresses dates back to the late 19th century and the promotion in France of the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, with the white signifying the virginity of our Blessed Lady. However, the custom may be even older than this, as the Solemn Communion ceremony at the age of thirteen marked a time when a young girl started preparing her trousseau for marriage and was allowed, by the conventions of society, to wear a chignon hairstyle.

Source (worth checking out - very interesting): http://www.catholicireland.net/pages/index.php?nd=49&art=397

Nuggles

White dresses were worn by girls for their confirmation, but that's not done any more. Communion could go the same way.

Lia_lia

The only reason I wanted to make my communion was to wear the bloody dress. I moved here from France when I was in 1st class, was never baptised and was jealous of all my buddies making their communion so my Mother got me baptised so I could fit in and make my communion. Oh shame. But then I found out about the money!

Long Onion

thought you could only wear a white dress if you were a virgin?

ejmaztec

Biggins wrote: »

Just in answer to that, I came across this (I've taken out possible non-relevant parts - sales site!):



...First Communion dresses are mostly in white as this color reflects purity. White is a symbolic mark of Catholic tradition to signify innocence and cleanliness of spirit...

I wonder why priests mostly wear black.:eek:

Biggins

ejmaztec wrote: »

I wonder why priests mostly wear black.:eek:

Doh! :rolleyes:
Its harder to spot them at night coming towards you of course.
Thought that was obvious! :pac:

ejmaztec

Biggins wrote: »

Doh! :rolleyes:
Its harder to spot them at night coming towards you of course.
Thought that was obvious! :pac:

You'd need eyes in the back of your head:eek:

Rowley Birkin QC

Isn't that the song from the first season of Lost?! When Desmond is in the hatch.

Ste.phen

bigkev49 wrote: »

Isn't that the song from the first season of Lost?! When Desmond is in the hatch.

Yes. Yes it is. It's awesome.

AnonoBoy

bigkev49 wrote: »

Isn't that the song from the first season of Lost?! When Desmond is in the hatch.

[Lost Nerd]
I think you'll find that we didn't see anything in the Hatch until episode 2-01.
[/Lost]

*ahem*

Sorry about that. Yeah it's the same song, used at the start of the second season.

Mama Cass Elliot - "Make Your Own Kind Of Music"

Fran79

Hi
excuse ignorance, but what is the difference between confirmation and first communion? Are they not done at the same time?

Serious question from a non Catholic.

Thanks

Fran

barleybooley

Fran79 wrote: »

Hi
excuse ignorance, but what is the difference between confirmation and first communion? Are they not done at the same time?

Serious question from a non Catholic.

Thanks

Fran

*Sigh* No! You'd only get half as much money if that was the case.
Confirmation is when you become a fully fledged Catholic, communion just allows you to go for a walk in the middle of mass.

engrish?

ejmaztec wrote: »

Perhaps IKEA will start selling flat-pack communion wear at reasonable prices?

Or just the children

Acacia

Biggins wrote: »

We didn't - so we opted out. Stuff them. Our kids are going to a non-religious school. We are getting buried (some far off day I hope) in a non-religious graveyard where we can actually say what the feck we want on our gravestones, etc.
They can keep their antiquated rules to themselves. Brides of Christ? Aaa.. no thanks. Its a money making racket nowadays.

I'm all for the school uniform bit (if the school has them already) as it will save parents further going into debt, save one lot trying to compete with the other and all that expensive fuss.

That's good. I didn't mean you personally, though.

Acacia

ejmaztec wrote: »

Traditional church-induced robbery.

Maybe, but that's how it is. Like I said, if you (not you personally!) don't like it, don't be a part of it.

Biggins

Acacia wrote: »

That's good. I didn't mean you personally, though.

No worries.

_o_

Makes sense.

Fugly

Fran79 wrote: »

Hi
excuse ignorance, but what is the difference between confirmation and first communion? Are they not done at the same time?

Serious question from a non Catholic.

Thanks

Fran

Communion is the first time the scacrament of the Eucharist is recieved. Eucharist, the body and blood of Jesus Christ, which are represented* by bread and wine.

*In catholic belief is transubstantiation occurs when the priest blesses the bread/wine transforming them into the body/blood. As the Eucharist has great significance with the catholic faith, first holy communion is regarded as a very big day.

I think some protestant faiths do have it but it's a much smaller affair, I think due to the lack of the belief of transubstantiation. But I could be wrong.
Depending on the country, but 7/8 is the usual age . Adults would not have a communion if they became catholic theirs an adult version, Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, I believe its called.

Confirmation is the following sacrement, and is the full recieving of the holy spirit, (some is recieved at baptism I think). It confirms your believe in christ, and reafirms all of the things discussed in baptism, you reject the devil and all of his works etc.
It's just a confirming of your faith and spirituality, now you're old enough to confirm yourself. I know at mine we had also to make a vow to be good christians and choose 3 vows to make, I know one of mine was to abstain from alcohol until 18. Usual age 12/13. Ceremony must be preformed by a Bishop.

After the confirmation your a fully fledged catholic