"Christmas Seafarers Gift Boxes

St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, secretly gave gifts to those in need, earning a

reputation as the patron saint of children, the poor, and travelers. His

charitable acts inspired the modern tradition of gift-giving at Christmas. St.

Nicholas is also the patron saint of sailors, known for ensuring safe voyages

and offering hope to those navigating treacherous waters.

This connection to seafarers is still honored today at the Houston

International Seafarers Center, where they continue to support and uplift the

lives of seafarers who dock at the Port of Houston. One of their most

meaningful initiatives is the annual Christmas Shoebox Program

Last year, 8,901 shoebox-sized gift boxes were donated to Houston Seafarers by

community churches, school children, individuals, and corporations from

Texas. These boxes are filled with toiletries, snacks, and other essentials and were

distributed to seafarers visiting the Port of Houston during the holiday

season.

These simple yet thoughtful boxes provide comfort to seafarers, reminding them

that they are not forgotten while far from home.

We invite you to join us each holiday season in this heartwarming tradition by

supporting efforts to care for seafarers from around the world, who are

visiting the port of Houston.

You may support this initiative by bringing fully packed and wrapped boxes to

Happy Hour, bringing supplies or donations to Happy Hour or by simply

purchasing items from our Amazon Seafarer shopping list: 

Seafarer's Amazon Ordering Link

Or...a shopping list if you prefer:

Seafarer's Boxes Supply List 2026.1.pdf