Eight-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon wrote a letter to the editor of New York’s Sun, and the quick response was printed as an unsigned editorial Sept. 21, 1897. The work of veteran newsman Francis Pharcellus Church has since become history’s most reprinted newspaper editorial, appearing in part or whole in dozens of languages in books, movies, and other editorials, and on posters and stamps
The Editorial
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.
115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET.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 they 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 may 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, fancy, 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 he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.
cook smells of the various treats soon to tempt our tummys. As we get closer to Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas you can sense the softening of the attitudes of the masses. Well for the most part anyway. Some people allow the stresses of family and shopping for that perfect gift to take away from their joy. Joy, Thats what it should be about. Sweaters! Thats the ticket. Sweaters and hoodies. Flannel in abundance. Beanies and other forms of headgear. That first Pumpkin Spice from the various outlets. with the smell of cinnamon and nutmeg. Music, TV specials and Peanuts (with Snoopy of course) for every holiday. It is unfortunate that politics will overshadow the days and news everywhere. Our country that is now so divided thanks to a few politicians that put a pall over everything. . They think they know better than us what we need. The power grab is ongoing as the two major sides vie for absolute power over the people. These are the great detractors from the joy and peace we are supposed to feel.
I will enjoy the season and all it is about and try to make at least one person forget the daily strife and political warfare that invades everything just long enough to give thanks for what we have in spite of the Congress of whores in Washington. I look forward to falling leaves, falling temperatures and gentle Autumn breezes. I look forward to longer nights and clear skies. And that most delectable delight Cider! I look forward to giving out candy, roasting turkey and roasting chestnuts. I look forward to TSO and Mannheim Steamroller on tour. (Cant afford to go but wait for them anyway). TV specials from CMA, Kelly Clarkson and Michael Buble’. I will be searching the skies on Christmas Eve for that jolly fat man and his sleigh. And most of all I try to remember the real reason for the season.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Ho! Ho! Ho!