ANOTHER IRISH COMMUNION season has come to a close, as dry cleaners go into a Coke-stain cleaning frenzy.

The much-fantasised-about dresses are being hung up, and parents are arguing with small children over how much money they get to spend and how much goes into their post office account.

As a nation, we really do have a special way of celebrating the Catholic rite of passage.

Here are 14 things you see at an Irish communion.

Adults discussing how much they got at their own communion

Adults discussing the shocking amounts of money being given these days

Adults discussing the shocking amounts of money being spent these days

Adults generally finding things shocking

'FALSE TAN!  MAKEUP!  HAIR DRESSERS! Sure in my day you were lucky if you could find a hairbrush.'

Shutterstock

Kids running around in circles

Actual circles.  What is that about?

Little girls doing twirls

Give us a twirl!

Children crying

Excitement x fizzy drinks = at least one tantrum.

Rosettes

We're mad for a rosette.

Shamrock Rosettes

Holy medals

Worn with pride, and then forgotten about.

myfirstcommunion

Small white handbags thrown to the side

They begged and begged for it, too.

firstcommunionuk.com

Little girls doing angelic poses outside the church...

...and later on belting their little brother for something or other before tearing around the back garden.

Flickr/adwriter

Desperate mothers pleading with sons not to roll around in the grass in their suits

'Michael!  STOP IT!  Please not in your good suit!'

Adverts.ie

Cocktail sausages

...which are meant to be 'for the kids'.  YEAH, GOOD LUCK WITH THAT.

Shutterstock

Cross shaped/Bible shaped cakes with golden chalices on them

Facebook/Devour Bakery

Spare a thought for this poor American man trying to pronounce Donegal on the news>

11 great things about growing up with Xtra-vision>