The Feast of Saint Nicholas

Saint Nicholas of Myra is the patron saint of children, sailors, thieves, bankers ( wait, that seems to be really close to thieves), pawnbrokers, scholars, travelers, perfumers, and many others. As most of you may know, Nick is linked to the tradition of giving gifts at Christmas and to the chimney sliding Olympics. This last bit was evidently due to his dropping coins down a chimney. It’s amazing what can develop from a simple act of charity and kindness.

Our family connection may come from seafaring over the generations.
My father (Nicholas) was an “Easter and Christmas Christian,” and my mother was about the same. Dad did note that there was a tradition of naming boys in the family Nicholas after the Saint. When I started researching the Carreras family history, Nicholas’ were everywhere. Our Carreras’ originate in Girona, Catalonia. So many Nicholas Carreras were baptized in the same churches that it became challenging to differentiate potential ancestors.

I have a personal attachment to Saint Nicholas, being Louis Nicholas Carreras. Although woodcarvers were neglected in the calendar of saints, I would nominate Nicholas as the patron saint of sailors and woodcarvers.

The photo accompanying this post is of our family, Santa. This Saint Nick dates to the early 1940s, and I don’t recall a Christmas in our house without it. Note that it is not a jolly, richly attired Clement Clarke Moore Santa, nor a Coke swizzling, cookie slurping, overweight Saint Nick. It’s a tired older man with a walking stick and a basket full of presents. It is a type of Saint Nick that could be found in German, or my Grandmother’s case, German- Hungarian homes. And, that is where the preference for this Santa comes.

My father bought it in a German delicatessen in New York one Christmas. And no Christmas in the Carreras home would have been complete without it. My Grandmother, who could get most of whatever she wanted from my Dad, tried without luck to get it for her apartment. There would have been an instant mutiny if it had changed households. If Grandma wanted to appreciate it, she had to come to our house to do so.
After my father died, Santa migrated to Virginia. It was at my sister’s house for many years. But, a few years ago, Santa came north to New England and now graces our home at Christmas.
Note that Santa is not richly attired in plush or velvet. He does not have a vast flowing beard – and has no magic sled pulled by flying deer. He’s the sort of Santa that complains about his aching feet after a trudge through the snow getting your kids their presents. He has no Santa Hot Line, and NORAD does not track him. He represents simple goodwill and love.

We do not need more during his feast day or at Christmas.

Happy feast of Saint Nicholas.