Do you celebrate "name days?"

[samovila]

I stumbled on this article online today and started wondering: catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/activities/view.cfm?id=208
Do you celebrate name days in your family? I’m referring to celebrating in some way on the day associated with your name, particularly saint feast days. What do you do to celebrate?

My family is of Croatian background and I always felt a little left out as my name is Jennifer and I never felt particularly tied to any saint through my name. I decided as a young child that when I had children of my own, they would have definite saint names so they would have an automatic patron and we would be able to celebrate on feasts. We usually do a special dinner and invite the Godparents over who so far have been kind enough to bring small gifts for the occaision. My kids are 1 and 2. Eventually, maybe I’ll give them a small gift like a saint medal or something to commemorate the occaision. It would also be nice to make time to go to mass. I think it’s just something nice to look forward to that reinforces the faith. Do you have any other ways of celebrating?

 

[LilyElain]

I stumbled on this article online today and started wondering: catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/activities/view.cfm?id=208
Do you celebrate name days in your family? I’m referring to celebrating in some way on the day associated with your name, particularly saint feast days. What do you do to celebrate?

My family is of Croatian background and I always felt a little left out as my name is Jennifer and I never felt particularly tied to any saint through my name. I decided as a young child that when I had children of my own, they would have definite saint names so they would have an automatic patron and we would be able to celebrate on feasts. We usually do a special dinner and invite the Godparents over who so far have been kind enough to bring small gifts for the occaision. My kids are 1 and 2. Eventually, maybe I’ll give them a small gift like a saint medal or something to commemorate the occaision. It would also be nice to make time to go to mass. I think it’s just something nice to look forward to that reinforces the faith. Do you have any other ways of celebrating?

We did! And actually mine was hard as well as I was named for Christ…so I should have celebrated every Sunday! But as we started getting confirmed our name day celebrations changed to those days…mine is Nov. 22nd…anyone know who? Anyway, we did pretty much the same things, our parents would light our baptism candle,and we would have a nice family dinner. We did not do to many gifts, but for special years ( confirmation, First communion, etc.) they would…

Ps. I am Lithuanian…

 

[Langdell]

I wish it were a frequent custom in the U.S. I’ve heard from people in other countries that name days can be very enjoyable because you share the celebration with everyone else who’s named after the same saint.

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[LilyM]

My family is also of Croatian origin. We never celebrated name days in our family, but our dear family friend who is a priest (also Croatian) certainly celebrates his.

For him, being named Stephen (Stjepan) it’s always easy to remember, as St Stephen’s day is 26 December, the day after Christmas.

Being a Lily (Ljiljana), I don’t have a specific saint’s day anyway, as far as I know there aren’t any St Lilys. I guess, since lilies are a symbol of the Blessed Virgin, if I wanted to celebrate mine the most appropriate date would be the Nativity of Mary. I remember my mother telling me that that was the appropriate ‘name day’ for all the Marys out there.

PS: Just saw the comment about confirmation saints’ feasts becoming name days. My confirmation patron saint is St Helen, so that would be the day, I guess.

 

[KyivAndrew]

Growing up Ukrainian Catholic, my family didn’t, but a minority of Ukrainian Catholics did celebrate. Certain common Ukrainian names were not affiliated with any saints to my mind - i.e. Oksana, Taras. After hitting my teens and realizing some of my Ukie friends (with names like Stepan, Mikhailo, got to celebrate “name days” on top of their birthdays, I couldn’t believe I was missing out on this!)

I think of all the cake I missed out on.

Oh, well. A very nice tradition.

 

[dreva]

We have always celebrated our childrens’s saint’s feast days with a special dinner and dessert, possibly a small gift. Of course with a different name like Dreva I have no name saint so I just took one as my patron (St Joan of Arc.)

 

[chevalier]

I do.