WYDgets: momentos and icebreakers

It can be difficult to start chatting to another pilgrim when you don't know whether they're silently saying an Our Father or a couple of Hail Marys.

However, a gentle way of initiating a conversation is by using a buckle bracelet with various 'WYDgets' you can swap and trade.

Scott Pitts (pictured), general manager of merchandising company EMG, says the WYDgets are great icebreakers. "It's similar to trading pins. You ask someone – 'Do you have any of these?' and swap your extras or search to find a particular flag." There's a total of 50 WYDgets.

You can buy a set of mystery WYDgets for $10. Each icon represents four themes: world flags, famous places in Sydney, letters of the alphabet and religious icons.

The countries featured include those which have sent the largest number of registered pilgrims, such as the Philippines, Nigeria, Holland, USA, France, Mexico, Italy, Ireland, Tonga, Canada, France, New Zealand and Australia.

You can also remember your trip with WYDgets showing Bondi Beach, a koala, kangaroo and a pair of thongs (footwear).

EMG's CEO, John Cooper, said people had been hired to promote the WYDgets and this included a "mix of pilgrims and non-Catholics". "We haven't hired too many pilgrims because we want them to be free to enjoy the pilgrimage events," Cooper said.