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Francis Pharcellus Church, Inspirational Messages, Virginia O'Hanlon, Yes Virginia There Is A Santa Claus
This is an older post of mine from 2015. I thought it was worth sharing again, especially since a certain doubting Trump, *cough, cough* I mean Thomas, has possibly just shattered a 7-year-old’s belief in Santa.
In 1897, having doubts over the existence of Santa Claus, eight-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon was encouraged by her father to write a letter to the Chicago Sun telling her that “If you see it in the Sun, it’s so.” One of the paper’s editors, Francis Pharcellus Church, chose not only to answer the question, but to also address the more philosophical issues it brought up. It is now almost 120 years later, but this message is still relevant to this day.
VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not 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, compared to 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 they abound and give 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 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 not 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! Than 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.
The Telltale Mind said:
I hope you have a Merry Christmas as well. Also, did anyone ever tell you that you’re a reading machine? Wish I had as much time for it as I’d like.
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Thanks Geoff! And yes. My husband has said something about that on more than one occasion!
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The Telltale Mind said:
lol
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Marta said:
Best wishes for a great Christmas, Kim!
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Thank you Marta! Have a wonderful day!🎅🏻🎅🏻🎅🏻🎅🏻🎅🏻
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Jen said:
I 💜 this answer! And I hope you have a very Merry Christmas, Kim!
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Yay! Merry Christmas to you and your lovely family Jen!🎅🏻
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Jen said:
Thank you! =D
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alexraphael said:
You find such wonderful stuff. What a fantastic post.
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Thank you so much Alex!
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yourdaughtersbookshelf said:
What a wonderful reminder of Christmas spirit. I read that letter to my children every year, they love it. Merry Christmas!
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
What a wonderful tradition. My dad read it to me as a child. It’s one of my favorite memories. Merry Christmas!😊🎅🏻
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inesephoto said:
Love this one. Merry Christmas!
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
I’m so glad. Merry Christmas!
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inesephoto said:
🙂
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jowensauthor said:
Merry Christmas!!
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
To you as well Jeanne!
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Shalini said:
Merry Christmas my darling Kim 🤶🎄☃️😘
Man thinks he is everything, some men more than others whereas it is the universe which is everything, infinite.
I often close my eyes when things get too much and imagine space and its vastness, and millions of planets and stars and galaxies, then wonder I am just a speck, a dot or less than that in this galaxy… How can the problems be so significant… Do I make sense?
When I hurry and keep cribbing about time, I remember some good words – time exits only on earth… There is no time in space, or even outside earth’s atmosphere, so what is this watch which tells time..
Then my heart beat slows down, and time takes on a different significance. Oh Kim I am in a different mood today…
It is moments where we spend with each other which marks time.
If galaxies can exist in space for no rhyme or reason, then why can’t magic, Santa claus fairies, exist? I believe in them, the magic may not come in a traditional way as shown in books, but it has to exist in some form or the others. We humans are magic, imagine that in billions of planets, there is one earth, isn’t that magic? Every second of every day there is magic happening when the cells in the body work.
Every child who is born is magic, imagine one cell from the mother, one from the father develops into a fully functional child in 9 months, how can that not be magic. Every person who has the potential to do good is magic, because he or she affects so many others… Magic exists in different forms in different ways in every second of our life. I am writing to you and this message reaches your heart – it is magic. Your hugs reach me through your vibes – it is nothing but magic…
Well, quite a long comment
Merry Christmas darlin 😘😘❤️❤️
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
The man is a bumbling idiot! I love what you’ve written here Dear Friend. And it’s so true! Have a Magical Christmas Shalini!🤗🎄🥂
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fragglerocking said:
A lovely reply, I hope she grew up with that as her backstop. Hope you.ve had a lovely time today.
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
She did Fraggle. She became a teacher and never lost her faith in Santa. It’s been a lovely day thank you. I hope yours was the same.🤗
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fragglerocking said:
Quiet but nice for that x
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
🤗
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Victoria Ray NB said:
Happy holidays 🍫❄️🎁🎁
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Thanks Victoria. I hope your enjoying yours.🎄
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Lelia T said:
Marry Christmas, Kim, and thank you for sharing one of my very favorite Christmas stories 😉
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
I hope your day was wonderful Lelia. Yes Virginia There Is a Santa Claus has been a favorite of mine since my dad shared it with me when I started having doubts.
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