Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.  ~ Norman Vincent Peale

Yes, Virginia...

I'm sure the very last thing that little Virginia O'Hanlon thought at the tender age of eight back in 1897 was her short little ditty to the editor of the New York Sun would turn into a holiday classic.  Upon asking her father, Dr. Phillip O'Hanlon, if Santa existed since her friends at school failed to believe any longer, he suggested she write to the editor because, "If you see it in The Sun, it's so", which dropped the pressing question on to the desk of Francis P. Church, who had been a Civil War correspondent.

Mr. Church was a popular journalist and often wrote human interest features and tackled tough theological debates of the time.  It might be why his, editor, Edward P. Mitchell thought him up to the task of debating Santa's existence. Church supposedly bristled at the idea of penning a response to a girl about Santa Claus, but thankfully not only was he up to the task, he wrote a masterpiece under a deadline.

As someone who has never been particularly fond of Santa Claus, I do adore the letter and find the message not only inspiring, but in a clever way answers a little girl's question without crushing her, but having her realize that Santa Claus is a symbol of the season, of all the good things that the Christmas season brings out in people.  And should be remembered not just at this time of year, but all year long.

Below is the article from The Sun.  You'll noctice despite being a holiday favorite, it was written on September 21, 1897, and they say we start the holiday season early! ;-)

Dear Editor—
I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, “If you see it in The Sun, it’s so.” Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?
Virginia O’Hanlon

Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men’s or children’s, are little. In this great universe of ours, man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies. You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if you did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that’s no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You tear apart the baby’s rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived could tear apart. Only faith, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives and lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10 times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.