Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience. — Ralph Waldo Emerson

What to say when Virginia asks if there’s a Santa Claus... Yes, but we don’t know much about him. St. Nicholas, the man who was the inspiration for our modern day, gift-giving icon, was born into a wealthy Christian family in a province of Asia Minor in the early fourth century. After his parents’ death, and still just a kid, he abandoned his fortune and went on a pilgrimage to Egypt and Palestine. During his journey, Nicholas was said to exercise great generosity toward children and the poor. Sound familiar? Legend has it that he once threw bags of gold into the window of a man’s home to pay his three daughters’ dowries, saving them from prostitution. The spirit of St. Nick is alive and well when we give gifts to others and help those most in need this Christmas season. Oh, and today is St. Nicholas’ Feast Day.