Why Yes....

Rukia · Post by **Rukia** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 4:13 pm

This has to be done in spirit of the holidays.... flog me if you wish...

Eight-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon wrote a letter to the editor of New York's Sun, and the quick response was printed as an unsigned editorial Sept. 21, 1897. The work of veteran newsman Francis Pharcellus Church has since become history's most reprinted newspaper editorial, appearing in part or whole in dozens of languages in books, movies, and other editorials, and on posters and stamps.

"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 NINETY-FIFTH STREET."

VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical 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 measure by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists 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 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 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 man 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! Thank GOD! He lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

http://www.newseum.org/yesvirginia/

Happy Holidays Everyone! No Matter what you celebrate!

Post by **Dark Silver** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 5:48 pm

Why would we flog you for it?

But I mean...if you really want to be flogged...

-breaks out his flogging kit-

But honestly, I remember this, the movie version of it anyway...and I always found this touching. It's the childlike innocence of the letter, and the editor's own response, which brings to light basic human decency.

Santa Claus is a symbol of the Holiday, and even while I may be to old to truly beleive in him, I never deny old Kris Kringle exsist if I'm asked.

I Beleive!

Narsil · Post by **Narsil** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 5:50 pm

He lives as a symbol at any rate.

Thus: he "exists"

Rukia · Post by **Rukia** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 6:06 pm

Dark Silver wrote:Why would we flog you for it?

But I mean...if you really want to be flogged...

-breaks out his flogging kit-

You have a flogging kit? *nervous laughter*

Post by **Dark Silver** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 6:37 pm

Rukia wrote:
Dark Silver wrote:Why would we flog you for it?

But I mean...if you really want to be flogged...

-breaks out his flogging kit-

You have a flogging kit? *nervous laughter*

of course I have a flogging kit....

as long as I've known Lilly....

-eyes LillytheDark dubiously, cracking the cat o nine tails in the air-

but yeah...I keep one handy
if only you knew what I keep in these robes...

Cynical Cat · Post by **Cynical Cat** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 6:38 pm

I found it annoying, not endearing. Of course, I'm the guy who stayed up real late one Christmas Eve to catch my parents putting presents around the tree and thus prove that there was no Santa Claus.

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 7:30 pm

Cynical Cat wrote:I found it annoying, not endearing. Of course, I'm the guy who stayed up real late one Christmas Eve to catch my parents putting presents around the tree and thus prove that there was no Santa Claus.

How... cynical.

It's cute, Rukia.

Rukia · Post by **Rukia** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 9:34 pm

Cynical Cat wrote:I found it annoying, not endearing. Of course, I'm the guy who stayed up real late one Christmas Eve to catch my parents putting presents around the tree and thus prove that there was no Santa Claus.

You know tho, one year I lost my tooth and my gramma handed me two dollars and said, "Don't tell you little brother."

And When my brother was seven and I was nine i became "Santa" and put the gifts under the tree. I still find the artical touching. Innocence in golden ya know?

Surlethe · Post by **Surlethe** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 10:22 pm

No. In my family, we've given gifts to each other from a young age; thus, we are quite aware there is no Santa Claus.

Shroom Man 777 · Post by **Shroom Man 777** » Sun Dec 11, 2005 12:14 am

... is Santa... God?

Dartzap · Post by **Dartzap** » Sun Dec 11, 2005 3:15 am

Re-arrange the letters S A N T A

S A T A N

Lindar · Post by **Lindar** » Sun Dec 11, 2005 3:44 am

*claps, then quickly settles to wrapping and going about her other elf-like duties that come with the season*

i'm so behind...

Narsil · Post by **Narsil** » Sun Dec 11, 2005 4:59 am

Re-arrange the letters S A N T A

S A T A N

That is proof that the one true god is, in actuality, called "Irony"

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Sun Dec 11, 2005 5:18 am

Some dink-ass town I was in a few years ago, around Christmas there were a couple of guys standing around a stoplight with signs that said 'Christmas is the devil's holiday!' and 'Santa=Satan!'

So you're not the only one to glom onto that little bit of anagromatic peculiarity.

Dartzap · Post by **Dartzap** » Sun Dec 11, 2005 5:26 am

I know that Petro

I was being what I like to call "childish" and "being an arse"

Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman · Sun Dec 11, 2005 6:10 am

I voted 'stomp Santa's testicles'.

Ooopps.

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Sun Dec 11, 2005 6:26 am

Dartzap wrote:I know that Petro I was being what I like to call "childish" and "being an arse"

It's hard to tell with you, Dart. I mean, normally you're so serious and all.

Dartzap · Post by **Dartzap** » Sun Dec 11, 2005 6:31 am

Tell you what! lets to the ever popular thing! Lets all gang up on Walper!

*runs away whilst everyone thinks about it*

frigidmagi · Post by **frigidmagi** » Sun Dec 11, 2005 2:19 pm

Santa owes me 50$. Was one hell of a poker game, though I swear those elves were trying to palm the aces.

Charon · Post by **Charon** » Sun Dec 11, 2005 3:56 pm

First time I read that poll. I thought it said "Well of course! How do you think we get Presidents?!"

I laughed.

Oh, and I plead the fifth.

Bratty · Post by **Bratty** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 8:44 am

~for those to remember the commercials of "I Am Batman" or seen Orgazmo with Sancho~

I am Santa.

LibriumArcana.Games

Why Yes....

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