Merry Christmas All

[Cianostays]

The following always puts me in the seasonal spirit. Merry Christmas to you all and see you on the 29th.

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 95th Street,
New York City



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 fill 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 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, not even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, cold tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view - and picture the supernatural 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.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

Editorial Page, New York Sun, 1897

[bgclaw]

Enjoy the xmas be safe and happy.

[Donny B.]

Enjoy the xmas be safe and happy.

bgclaw?!!!!!!!!!!!

Is this an online forum verion of A Christmas Carol with you, Sewa and jose Fantastique are the ghosts of turnips past?

[bgclaw]

Enjoy the xmas be safe and happy.

bgclaw?!!!!!!!!!!!

Is this an online forum verion of A Christmas Carol with you, Sewa and jose Fantastique are the ghosts of turnips past?

We are equal opportunity now,even pre op lady girlz.
Best of luck to you and yours for xmas and the new year.
(Too ye all the 2nd line not the first)

[Donny B.]

Have a good one too son, with fresh turnips a plenty!

[nelly the elephant]

Merry Christmas and a happy,peaceful 2013 to all on here........

[Peg Leg]

Enjoy..........., here's to never stopping!