Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus

An article was written in the New York newspaper, the New York Sun, on September 21, 1897 when an eight year old girl, named Virginia O’Hanlon, wrote in asking a question. She wanted to know if her friends were right in that Santa Claus did not exist. Francis Pharcellus Church was the editor at the time who gave her a response that is still famous to this day. The second paragraph is particularly quoted: “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.” Church’s powerful editorial stating the existence of Santa Claus seemed a fitting conclusion to a century that began with reserved observances of St. Nicholas and ended with the fundamentals of the modern Christmas season firmly intact. This also remains one of the most reprinted articles to ever run in any newspaper in the English language. Based on this one article, children’s books, a television series, and short holiday films have been created. The original letter is still intact in Virginia’s granddaughter’s scrap book and it is worth between 20,000 to 30,000 dollars.

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