G.K. Chesterton once wrote, “It is the test of a good religion whether you can joke about it.”
I certainly think that he would have (and hopefully you will) chuckle at the following joke:What do you call Santa when he has no money? Saint ‘Nickel-less’.
Today is Saint Nicholas of Myra’s Feast Day. It’s also the greatest Catholic meme day of the year. 🙂🥊👊
Thinking about Saint Nicholas (aka Santa Claus, yes he is real and I still believe in him. 🎅 🙏 🙂) puts me in a jolly mood and sparks one of the greatest gifts God has given me— my creativity.
Editor’s Note: Article originally published on December 5th, 2022.
G.K. Chesterton once wrote, “It is the test of a good religion whether you can joke about it.” I certainly think that he would have (and hopefully you will) chuckle at the following joke: What do you call Santa when he has no money? Saint ‘Nickel-less’. Get it? Nicholas?
If you enjoy wordplay, you’re welcome! However, if you find such repartee revolting, I apologize and implore you to still read on.
Ironically, Nicholas came from a wealthy family (more about that later). Some believed his family riches provided means for him able to make generous visits through the night delivering anonymous gifts to the less unfortunate in his city.
Below are six common (or maybe not so common!) facts about the Catholic saint later popularized and associated with Santa Claus. Regardless of whether you heard of these facts before or not, they are still epic!
Every year, right as the Thanksgiving dishes are being crammed into leftover containers and Advent candles begin their annual migration to the dining-room table, the Church gives us a quiet but bold voice to start the new liturgical year: Saint Andrew the Apostle.
He doesn’t get the big headlines his brother Simon Peter receives. There’s no “Keys of Andrew.” No massive dome in Rome carrying his name. No moment where Jesus calls him “the Rock.”
But in the Gospels, Andrew has something Peter doesn’t: He’s first.
The Protocletos (“First-Called”), the one who heard John the Baptist say, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” and responded immediately. The apostle who didn’t wait for perfect circumstances or a theological degree before bringing someone to Jesus. He simply encountered Christ then ran to get his brother.
In other words, Andrew is the patron saint of every ordinary Catholic who has ever whispered, “You’ve got to meet Jesus,” to a friend, a child, a spouse, or a stranger. His whole life models evangelization and discipleship, not the polished programmatic kind but the relational “follow me and bring your brother too” kind.
Domenico Ghirlandaio, “Calling of the First Apostles,” 1481 (photo: Public Domain)
The First Steps of a Disciple: Encounter, Then Invitation
Andrew’s story begins on the sandy shores of Galilee, where he and Simon Peter worked as fishermen. When he wasn’t mending nets, he was following John the Baptist and searching for the Messiah with a heart that wasn’t content to sit still.
That restlessness is part of why I love Andrew. He is the saint for all of us who are trying to find God while folding laundry or reminding kids that “bedtime” actually means going to bed. Andrew shows us that the desire for God is already a grace, and when God meets that desire, we move.
So when the Baptist pointed out Jesus, Andrew and another disciple (likely John the Evangelist) followed Him. Jesus turned, saw them walking behind Him, and asked the question that echoes into every restless human heart:
“What are you looking for?”
Andrew doesn’t respond with a theological statement. He simply asks, “Where are you staying?”
Translation: Can we be with You?
This is the heart of discipleship: desire → encounter → relationship.
And from that relationship comes Andrew’s defining moment:
“He first found his brother Simon and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah.’ And he brought him to Jesus.” (John 1:41–42)
Andrew is the Church’s first evangelist. Not because he had a platform, but because he had a brother. Evangelization begins at home, around kitchen tables and school desks and daily routines.
If there’s a lesson here, it’s this: Don’t underestimate what God wants to do through your simple invitation.
Apostle of Practical Faith: Andrew the Realist
The Gospels give us small windows into Andrew’s personality, and together they paint a beautiful picture.
During the feeding of the five thousand, Andrew notices the boy with the five loaves and two fish. He points him out to Jesus with honest realism: “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they among so many?”
Andrew sees the need, sees the limited resources, and sees the gap. Yet he still brings the offering to Jesus. He trusts that Christ can work with little.
Every parent, teacher, catechist, or exhausted Catholic praying the Saint Andrew Novena for the fifteenth time that day knows this feeling. We look at our world and want to say, “Lord, here is what I’ve got. It’s not much.”
Andrew replies: Bring it anyway. Christ multiplies.
Later, when a group of Greeks wants to meet Jesus, they approach Philip, who brings the request to Andrew. Andrew, true to form, brings them to Christ.
Jew or Greek, brother or stranger, child with a lunch basket or adult with big questions, Andrew’s instinct is always the same: Bring people to Jesus.
This is the essence of discipleship. Not complicated strategies, but the consistent habit of placing people in the presence of Christ.
From Nets to Nations: Andrew the Missionary
After Pentecost, tradition says Andrew evangelized throughout the Greek-speaking world: Cappadocia, Bithynia, Pontus, Thrace, and finally Achaia. He traveled far from home, preaching Christ to those who had never heard the Gospel.
One early Christian tradition claims he appointed Stachys as the first bishop of Byzantium (later Constantinople), symbolically linking him with the Greek East just as Peter is linked with Rome and the West. This “Apostolic brotherhood” has become an image of ecumenical hope, often invoked by Popes Benedict XVI and Francis when praying for unity between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches.
Andrew’s martyrdom continues this theme of humble discipleship. Tradition says he was bound, not nailed, to an X-shaped cross to prolong his witness. For two days he preached Christ from the cross. One ancient text records his stunning words:
“Hail, O Cross, adorned with the limbs of Christ. Before the Lord mounted you, you inspired fear. Now, filled with heavenly love, I come to you willingly.”
That is the heart of a disciple. Someone who sees the Cross not as an end, but as a doorway into the love of God.
Detail from “The Crucifixion of Saint Andrew” (1651) by Mattia Preti [WikiArt.org]
Living Andrew’s Legacy Today: Evangelization Begins with One Invitation
Saint Andrew’s feast opens the door into Advent, a season that invites us to seek, invite, and prepare a place for Christ in our daily lives.
Last year, I introduced the Saint Andrew Christmas Novena to my family. We taped little printouts around the house to remind ourselves to pray. This year, I’m bringing it into my classroom too. It feels fitting. Andrew reminds us that discipleship thrives in simple, daily invitations.
The Church even has a modern practice inspired by his example: Project Andrew, where young men gather with priests to talk about vocation through relationship and conversation, not pressure. It mirrors Andrew’s original instinct to say, “Come and see.”
Your “brother” might be an actual sibling, a child, a spouse, a coworker, or a neighbor. It might be the person who always seems alone at Mass. Whoever it is, Andrew teaches us that evangelization is usually personal, simple, and rooted in love.
He was the first to follow Christ. But more importantly, he was the first to bring someone with him.
May we do the same.
Saint Andrew, First-Called Apostle and faithful evangelizer, pray for us.
Catholics enjoy the opportunity to look to holy men and women as role models and guides in fulfilling our true purpose in life. The more I read and learn about the saints, the more profoundly I experience fellowship. Saints lived through suffering experiences with patience and reliance on God’s help.Perhaps no other 20th century figure, and this includes a legendary list, provided a better example of following the golden rule and forgiving others as St. Pope John Paul II. Being my personal hero, I was overwhelmed with joy upon his canonization a mere five years after his death! While countless reasons exist for why I love and admire John Paul II, here are five facts that make the great Polish pope, well, great.
A lifetime of tragedies
Born in 1920 Karol Wojtyla, who became John Paul II, grew up during one of the most tumultuous eras in Polish history—Nazi occupation and later during the reign of Communism. Before he turned 22, Karol lost all of his immediate family members (his mother passed away during childbirth, his sister died before Karol was born, and his brother and father stated reason/manner). As if losing a family was not enough suffering to last a few lifetimes for anyone, in the beginning of his pontificate, John Paul was shot in a failed assassination.
The leader of the Catholic Church united himself so much to the suffering of Christ on the Cross. According to Jason Evert author of Saint John Paul the Great: His Five Loves, “When someone mentioned the impending suffering that would be required by one of his surgeries, [the pope] replied, ‘The Church needs suffering.’”
Marian devotion
The Polish pope’s famous motto was Totus Tuus. This Latin phrase translates as “Totally Yours” and was a reference to Mary’s total obedience to the Father’s will.
Among the defining events of the sainted pontiff’s life, the assassination attempt on May 13th, 1981 certainly had to be a monumental turning point. Already possessing a strong piety to the Blessed Virgin, this only increased after the bullet missed hitting vital organs by mere millimeters. He quipped, “It was a mother’s hand that guided the bullet’s path.” Totally trusting in the mediation of Mary in his life, John Paul II provides a good example for other Catholics to rely on the Mother of God to be a good protector and guide towards Christ.
Jason Evert in his biography talks of the pope’s admiration to Mary in this way, “In True Devotion to Mary, St. Louis de Montfort wrote, ‘the most faithful servants of the Blessed Virgin, being her greatest favorites, receive from her the best graces and favors from heaven, which are crosses.’ If suffering is a sign of predilection, then John Paul II must have been one of our Lady’s favorites!” Of the importance of the rosary John Paul II declared, “[The rosary is] our daily meeting which neither I nor the Blessed Virgin Mary neglect.”
Recently, my family started praying a decade of the Rosary each night before putting the kids to bed. My outlook on life and graces for patience have never been higher. I am thankful for John Paul the Great’s great witness to Marian devotion!
A people’s pope
Thousands of young people cheer Pope John Paul II during the 1992 World Youth Day in Czestochowa, Poland.
John Paul II instituted World Youth Day, a worldwide gathering of Catholic youth every four years. He saw the importance of youth, especially teens as being the future of the Church. The excitement that revolves around this event continues even in the years after his death. The Polish pope traveled extensively across the globe administering to all God’s people and showing the love of Christ. His long tenure afforded the opportunities for a generation to grow up under his papacy and enjoy stability of leadership for the Catholic Church.
Lover of confession
Although John Paul II lived a remarkable life and endured his sufferings of Parkinson’s disease to the end, the most impressive feat of his papacy (and priesthood) was his daily reception of the Sacrament of Confession. He declared,
“It would be an illusion to seek after holiness, according to the vocation one has received from God, without partaking frequently of this sacrament of conversion and reconciliation. Those who go to Confession frequently, and do so with the desire to make progress, will notice the strides that they make in their spiritual lives.”
I feel out of whack spiritually when I fail to go to the proverbial “Medicine Box” for over a month. His near mastery of virtue—through the aid offered by the Holy Spirit in the confessional—is evident by his encounter with all he met and his quick canonization less than half a decade after his death.
Heroic herald of truth
Along with John Paul II’s ability to forgive others, such as the man who attempted to murder him, the Polish pope safeguarded and articulated the Catholic Church’s teaching boldly and clearly. Intrepidly standing up to the evils of Communism, the sainted pope never watered down truth for the sake of diplomacy.
St. John Paul II stated, “Remember that you are never alone, Christ is with you on your journey every day of your lives!” Truly God gifted the world with the holiness of Karol Wojtyla. St. Thérèse of Lisieux wrote, “You cannot be half a saint. You must be a whole saint or no saint at all.” Following in the footsteps of Pope John Paul II will not be an easy feat, but it is a surefire and joyful path toward closer union with God.
Thank you Lord for the life of this wonderful saint, John Paul II!
Last October, I missed celebrating the Feast of Saint Luke. It wasn’t intentional; life just got busy. Between teaching, family life, and parish commitments, October 18th quietly slipped past. But ever since then, I’ve felt an unmistakable pull to know this Gospel writer more deeply, not just as the “beloved physician,” but as the evangelist of mercy, faith, and ordered reason.
As someone with a background in history, I’ve always admired Luke’s approach to truth. His Gospel begins not with poetry or mystery, but with method: an introduction that reads like a historian’s preface. “Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative… I too have decided, after investigating everything accurately anew, to write it down in an orderly sequence for you, most excellent Theophilus…” (Luke 1:1–3). He’s transparent about his sources and his purpose so that we may “realize the certainty” of our faith.
There’s something deeply comforting in that. Luke reminds us that Christianity isn’t a myth or an emotional movement; it’s a faith rooted in reality, built on eyewitnesses and examined testimony. Saint John Paul II beautifully captured this when he wrote that Luke “leads us to knowledge of the discreet yet penetrating light that radiates from the Word.” Luke gives us not just the facts of salvation history but the warmth of faith that makes those facts alive.
“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower,” stated Albert Camus the 20th century French Novelist. Fall is my favorite time of the year. Colorful leaves carpet the lawns in my neighborhood. I enjoy seeing the visible transformation occur on trees and watching animals prepare for winter. My wife’s birthday is during October—the middle of fall. I am indebted to God for the gift of my marriage. Without my wife, my fervor for Divine Mercy and St. Maria Faustina—her confirmation saint— may not exist!
Reflecting on autumn, my wife, and the Polish saint allowed for me to have a profound revelation: October contains an all-star line-up for saint feast days!
Five of my personal favorite saints, and historical favorites among Catholics as well, have a feast day in the first part of October. On top of this amazing realization, October is also dedicated to the Holy Rosary and respect for all life. I will be dedicating other posts on these topics so I will focus on the seven feast days of stellar saintly role models:
Guardian Angels
My children and I ask for the intercession of our guardian angels every night before bedtime. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church number 336, “From its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession.202 ‘Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life.’203 Already here on earth the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company of angels and men united in God.” God sends his messengers from Heaven to keep us safe and remind us of His Presence.
Therese of Lisieux
According to St. Therese, “Our Lord does not so much look at the greatness of our actions, or even at their difficulty, as at the love with which we do them.” Known as the Little Flower, the saint’s words provide a fresh perspective on my daily living and struggles. As a person who focuses on problems as something to be overcome, I sometimes place an emphasis on the amount of effort I have to put forth on a task. I also struggle with desiring recognition toward my works. Instead, if I focus on love as St. Therese teaches us, my life will be more joyful!
Francis of Assisi
Francis serves as an example of holiness, but for me, it is a personal reminder for my college days. I attended Franciscan University graduate schooling. The legacy the Italian saint left on me is truly immeasurable.
His transformation from a wealthy individual to a beggar of Christ is a tangible example of the Gospel lived out. Struggling with envy and greed myself, I am able to look to Francis of Assisi as a role model. Lord make me an instrument of peace like your servant Francis!
Maria Faustina
No other 20th century saint, besides John Paul II and Maximilian, has impacted me as much as St. Maria Faustina. Known as the Apostle of Divine Mercy, the Polish nun is to the 20th century what St. Paul was to the 1st century Church—the evangelizer of truth to the Gentiles! Sister Faustina helped console my wife after a good friend from high school died suddenly.
The Polish sister led my wife to convert to the Catholic faith as well! She has been instrumental in deepening my relationship with God over the past decade. St. Faustina is probably the biggest influence on viewing God first as a merciful Father as opposed to a vengeful Judge. Through St. Maria Faustina I heard God’s truth in her words, “Suffering is the greatest treasure on earth; it purifies the soul. In suffering, we learn who our true friend is.”
Our Lady of the Rosary
While the entire month of October is dedicated to the Rosary (another reason to love this month!), Catholics celebrate Our Lady of the Rosary on October 7th.
Our Lady of the Rosary holds immense importance in the Catholic faith and Christian tradition. This title honors the Virgin Mary as the Queen of Heaven and a powerful intercessor. The rosary, a centuries-old prayer practice, is closely linked to this devotion, believed to have been revealed by Mary to Saint Dominic in the 13th century.
Beyond its historical roots, Our Lady of the Rosary plays a vital role in the daily lives of Catholics. Many turn to Mary for guidance, protection, and assistance. The rosary, a tool for meditation and reflection, deepens the connection with God and fosters unity among believers worldwide. It serves as a symbol of faith, hope, and unity, reminding us of Mary’s enduring grace and mercy.
Teresa of Avila
Another example of heroic holiness in October is Saint Teresa of Avila. Her life differs from Maria and Therese as the Spanish saint lived a much longer life. Teresa also experienced more of a 180°-type of conversion.
As a young adult, Teresa enjoyed the allure of the world. It wasn’t until her entry into the convent that the Spanish nun learned the importance of meditative prayer. Teresa’s The Interior Castle is a profound spiritual work that explores the vastness of our spiritual journey. This spiritual treatise has helped aid me on my journey.
Saint Luke
The Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of Saint Luke on October 18th. As a writer of one of the four Gospels, Luke had a special role in the early Church. He was also a traveling companion to Saint Paul and penned the Acts of the Apostles. Paul makes reference to Luke’s profession as a doctor (Colossians 4:14) and the Lord had even bigger plans for this saint. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, Luke provides us with an amazing account of Jesus’ life and shares parables like the Prodigal Son and Lost Sheep.
Saint Luke is an advocate for passing on the faith. Celebrate his feast by reading from his gospel account or from Acts of the Apostles.
While autumn is akin to a second springtime, my communion with the saints during October is like a second spiritual springtime for me. My guardian angel, Therese of Lisieux, Francis of Assisi, Maria Faustina, Luke the Evangelist, Teresa of Avila, and the Blessed Virgin Mary reflect God’s merciful and transforming love.
Through communion with these exemplary role models I am given hope that my personal vices of greed, envy, and pride are able to be overcome! The Church teaches “We worship Christ as God’s Son; we love the martyrs as the Lord’s disciples and imitators, and rightly so because of their matchless devotion towards their king and master. May we also be their companions and fellow disciples!” (CCC 957). I pray the communion of saints will continue to guide you in your path toward holiness and ultimately lead us closer to God.
Obviously, the answer is yes 😀 (who doesn’t want more information about Therese of Lisieux 🌸🙏?!)
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Thank you for reading and hope you have a blessed day!
Editor’s Note: Matthew Chicoine interviewed Sophia Chamblee via phone call on August 9th, 2025. Some of the questions/answers have been rearranged, edited, and paraphrased to provide the best reader experience without losing any integrity of the answers given.
What inspired you to start Playground Saints?
I think the inspiration started up around Covid. I noticed people starting up these small businesses. It started as an Etsy stop with bookmarks. The bookmarks were like a humble beginning. I really like stickers and I noticed that other shops prioritized stickers. I wanted to have stickers as my own.
After I graduated college, I got a printer and cricut. I use an app call Design Space.
What saints did you begin with for your stickers?
I use the same designs of Padre Pio, and Therese of Lisieux, and Mama Mary as when I began.
Thomas Aquinas and Martin de Porres and Rose of Lima were original saints that I have later upgraded the designs.
Your logo, “Mama Mary and Son,” has such a warm, whimsical feel. What was your inspiration?
