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Thread: Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Clause

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    Default Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Clause

    Every year o post this. This one's no different. Merry Christmas to all!



    Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus







    Editorial Page, New York Sun, 1897



    We take pleasure in answering thus prominently the communication below, expressing at the same time our great gratification that its faithful author is numbered among the friends of The Sun:


    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 sceptical age. They do not believe except what 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 external 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.

    Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!!





    From The People's Almanac, pp. 1358-9.

    Francis P. Church's editorial, "Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus" was an immediate sensation, and became one of the most famous editorials ever written. It first appeared in the The New York Sun in 1897, almost a hundred years ago, and was reprinted annually until 1949 when the paper went out of business.

    Thirty-six years after her letter was printed, Virginia O'Hanlon recalled the events that prompted her letter:

    "Quite naturally I believed in Santa Claus, for he had never disappointed me. But when less fortunate little boys and girls said there wasn't any Santa Claus, I was filled with doubts. I asked my father, and he was a little evasive on the subject.

    "It was a habit in our family that whenever any doubts came up as to how to pronounce a word or some question of historical fact was in doubt, we wrote to the Question and Answer column in The Sun. Father would always say, 'If you see it in the The Sun, it's so,' and that settled the matter.

    " 'Well, I'm just going to write The Sun and find out the real truth,' I said to father.

    "He said, 'Go ahead, Virginia. I'm sure The Sun will give you the right answer, as it always does.' "

    And so Virginia sat down and wrote her parents' favorite newspaper.

    Her letter found its way into the hands of a veteran editor, Francis P. Church. Son of a Baptist minister, Church had covered the Civil War for The New York Times and had worked on the The New York Sun for 20 years, more recently as an anonymous editorial writer. Church, a sardonic man, had for his personal motto, "Endeavour to clear your mind of cant." When controversial subjects had to be tackled on the editorial page, especially those dealing with theology, the assignments were usually given to Church.

    Now, he had in his hands a little girl's letter on a most controversial matter, and he was burdened with the responsibility of answering it.

    "Is there a Santa Claus?" the childish scrawl in the letter asked. At once, Church knew that there was no avoiding the question. He must answer, and he must answer truthfully. And so he turned to his desk, and he began his reply which was to become one of the most memorable editorials in newspaper history.

    Church married shortly after the editorial appeared. He died in April, 1906, leaving no children.

    Virginia O'Hanlon went on to graduate from Hunter College with a Bachelor of Arts degree at age 21. The following year she received her Master's from Columbia, and in 1912 she began teaching in the New York City school system, later becoming a principal. After 47 years, she retired as an educator. Throughout her life she received a steady stream of mail about her Santa Claus letter, and to each reply she attached an attractive printed copy of the Church editorial. Virginia O'Hanlon Douglas died on May 13, 1971, at the age of 81, in a nursing home in Valatie, N.Y.
    Last edited by Madcap; 12-21-2007 at 06:26 PM.

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    Default Re: Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Clause

    Merry Christmas EE and family
    Merry Christmas Buffy.
    Merry Christmas Chrissy, thanks for chillin.
    Merry Christmas Corgan, thanks for being cool.
    Merry Christmas Callmesky, spoil that little girl
    Merry Christmas Harkandee, though i know it's not your holiday
    Merry Christmas Bridgette!
    Merry Christmas my friend Fawn.
    Merry Christmas Yek! It's not your holiday either, but you know!
    Merry Christmas Mast, take care of that girl i lust after so much!
    Merry Christmas Big Daddy. We live to close to not be friends.
    Merry Christmas my friend Lexi.
    Merry Christmas KittyKat. NASA is eating it's heart out.
    Merry ChristmasTSK, you'r BF is one lucky bastard.
    Merry Christmas SusanVA, you are awesome!
    Merry Christmas Alaska, keeps being opinionated
    Merry Christmas Britt244, keep sticking up for the good customers, it's noticed and appreciated.
    Merry Christmas GingerLee keep being cool tennesee style
    Merry Christmas Cameron, with your wisdom.
    Merry Christmas Venus, take care of those kids!
    Merry Christmas Pooka, keep being sweet!




    Merry Christas to all! I could be at this all night!

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    Default Re: Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Clause

    Thank you sir!

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    Default Re: Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Clause

    Ty GL. I got run outta doghe before i could finish.

    Merry Christmas Leilancandy, take care of those rascals!
    Merry Christmas Ferrari, you'll likely never see it though.
    Merry Christmas Zabrina, keep being a Bitch. It's a GOOD thing, not a bad thng.
    Merry Christmas Nina Daisy, no-one will be pulling no wool over on you, you are too bitchy for it. And in this case, as on Zabrina's case, bitchy is a terrific thing.
    Merry Christmas SexyBrat, keep care of those boobs. (!!) (and that sparkling personality)
    Merry Christmas Jenna 78, you are gorgeous and you always seemed to pick me from the crowd, though you never had to.

    Merry Christmas Pryce, thanks.
    Merry Christmas TOO, thanks.


    MERRY CHRISTMAS STRIPPERWEB!!!

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    Default Re: Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Clause

    Quote Originally Posted by Madcap View Post
    Merry Christmas Mast, take care of that girl i lust after so much!

    You realize the one that's claiming I'm the daddy is RoseWHITE. Not RoseLEIGH.

    Just to be sure.

    And Merry Christmas. Next time I'm in St. Louis, Lets hook it up.
    People are not ruled by their memories.

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    Default Re: Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Clause

    Quote Originally Posted by Mastridonicus View Post
    You realize the one that's claiming I'm the daddy is RoseWHITE. Not RoseLEIGH.

    Just to be sure.

    And Merry Christmas. Next time I'm in St. Louis, Lets hook it up.

    Yeah, noticed that one myself. I honestly thought RoseWhite was my elf for a couple weeks. Musta been the 'rose' part. Hey, man, i have tunnel vision.

    I was like "It's a chick, it's a chick, thank god it's a chick" WHAT on earth would i buy for a guy? I know what *I* like, but me being me isn't the best road-map for that.

    And, yes, lets.

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    Default Re: Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Clause

    Oh, I have an odd feeling you and I have a closet FULL of white boxes containing tons of similar interests... *looks at two boxes of X-Men alone*


    Hhahah

    By The By, I'm sure they're both well deserving of your lust! It's an Honor to any SW girl...hey...do I hear a Plaque/Award ceremony? The Madcaps?
    Last edited by Mastridonicus; 12-22-2007 at 05:51 PM.
    People are not ruled by their memories.

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    Default Re: Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Clause

    Quote Originally Posted by Mastridonicus View Post
    Oh, I have an odd feeling you and I have a closet FULL of white boxes containing tons of similar interests... *looks at two boxes of X-Men alone*


    Hhahah

    By The By, I'm sure they're both well deserving of your lust! It's an Honor to any SW girl...hey...do I hear a Plaque/Award ceremony? The Madcaps?

    If you come to STL or i come to a place you are at, i'd be happy to party a bit.

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