The Case for Santa Claus.

Once Upon a Time Santa

In 1897, 8 year old Virginia O’Hanlon wrote a short letter to the editor of the New York Sun.  In the letter Virginia posed one simple question.  "Please, tell the truth; is there a Santa Claus?"  At that time, veteran  news man Francis Pharcellus Church provided proof for the existence of Santa Claus in his response to Virginia.  His response  has become one of the most reprinted editorial the newspaper industry has ever seen.  Like Francis, I think Santa exists.

Santa exists in the millions of people that go out of their way to help.  Santa exists in the person that volunteers his time and at his own expense travels to places were disaster has torn neighbor hoods apart.  Santa lives in a parents smile when seeing their new born child for the first time. As truly as love exists, at truly as generosity exists, as truly as friendship exists, So Santa Claus truly exist.

We live in divided times.  Our politics have torn us apart.  We have lost the middle and we live in a country of extremes.  We may even be engaged in the destruction of ourselves.   With our world getting hotter and rouges nations threatening our sundered nation with nuclear confrontation, we are hard pressed to keep our belief in the ideas of compassion and love and giving and in our belief of Santa Claus.

But I still believe.  I believe there is goodness in all people.  I believe we can be a generous people again.  I think our vast capacity to love one another can and will overcome our current propensity for selfishness.  So yeah, I do believe in Santa Claus.  I believe in what he represents.  I believe in the twinkle in a child's eye when they talk with Santa.  The spirit of  the one Santa Claus exists in all the Santa Clauses you see at this time of year.

When my children were of the same questioning age as Virginia, I told them straight up. Yes, Santa exists. His Christmas presents are greater than the new toy or video game that you just unwrapped. Santa's Christmas present is the spirit of giving, the spirit of love and the spirit of joy that we feel at this time of year and all the year round.  So I will shout to all that will listen, echoing Francis' word.  Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.


You can read Francis' editorial by following this link.

http://www.newseum.org/exhibits/online/yes-virginia/