#name day

To all the Nicks….

                                                Saint Nicholas
                                                    Name Day
                                                 December 6th

TheEastern Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic Church, and the Anglican Churches (taken together, representing a quarter of humanity) celebrate Saint Nicholas every year on December 6, which is the name day for “Nicholas”.

InGreece, the name and its derivatives are especially popular in maritime regions, as Saint Nicholas is considered the protector saint of seafarers….for more than a millennia.

No wonder I have salt water in my veins! My ancestors came from seafaring towns in central and southern Greece….dating back centuries. I’m drawn to the sea….

“Nicholas” in Greek means, literally, victory of the people.

The name became popular 1,700 years ago through Saint Nicholas, Greek Christian Bishop of MyrainLycia (today’s southern Turkey). Nicholas was famous for his generous gifts to the poor….with the name and the legacy evolving many centuries later, to become the Dutch/German (my Mom’s heritage, by the way) inspiration for Santa Claus – a derivation of “Saint Nicholas.”

For all my brethren named “Nicholas,” December 6 is a day to celebrate, on par with your birthday. It’s a day to reflect on all the good things you bring to family, friends and community. It’s a time to stand tall and proud: you’re a “Nicholas”! And, around the Holiday Season each year, you might even earn the affectionate moniker “Saint Nick”!

(My Dad, also ”Nicholas”, and I celebrated the day as far back as I can remember. It was our private bond. And it’s always been a deep honor to carry his name!)

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My Dad penned this poem early one December 6th morning, as he was sipping on his pre-dawn coffee in front of his computer. He gave it to me when I went over to my parents house for dinner that evening 17 years ago (to celebrate our shared Name Day)….(he passed away quite suddenly just a nine months later)….and the poem remains a priceless gift and treasure – loving inspiration from Father to Son – that will remain with me always. I think about it almost every day….and gain strength from it….as if it were a compass for this life-long mariner….