How a Seafarer’s Saint Became Santa Claus 🎅🏻

At work, we look to leaders for direction 🧭
Seafarers looked to Saint Nicholas centuries ago ⚓️

Like most people, I knew him as Santa Claus 🎅🏻
Few know he was the patron saint of seafarers 😇

He was a fourth century bishop.
Known for generosity and miracles at sea.

Voyages once began with a prayer to St Nick 🙏

When your job involves risk, distance and the unknown…
Traditions like this start to make sense.

The Maritime Origins Series

Maritime Origins is a storytelling series created by Jason Nangle, Founder of Angle Recruitment, a global maritime recruitment and executive search firm.


The series explores the fascinating history behind everyday phrases that originated at sea, as well as the remarkable stories, traditions and characters that have shaped maritime culture.


Many sayings still used today were first spoken by sailors navigating the challenges of life on board ships. Alongside these phrase origins, the series also highlights lesser-known maritime stories, legends and historical moments from the world of shipping.


Through short stories and visual posts, Maritime Origins connects the language, heritage and traditions of seafarers with the modern maritime industry.


New posts in the series launch every Tuesday on LinkedIn and are then shared across other platforms including Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and X. Follow Jason Nangle on LinkedIn and Angle Recruitment across your preferred social platforms.

First person view looking up from the deck of a tall sailing ship in a night storm.
By Jason Nangle September 1, 2026
The mast glows blue. No heat, no flame, just tension in the air. Once a sign from the gods, now called St Elmo’s Fire. Still enough to unsettle any crew.
Ben Line's Employee of the Century
By Jason Nangle August 24, 2026
After the Benlomond sank in 1942, Poon Lim spent 133 days alone on a life raft, surviving through ingenuity, resourcefulness and extraordinary determination.
A candlelit 18th-century Lloyd’s coffee house scene.
By Jason Nangle August 18, 2026
A1 wasn't always a boast, it started as a ship survey at Lloyd's coffee house in the 1680s. Discover how two characters became shorthand for the best today.