It's that time of year, one where on the one hand those of us in this world who are fortunate to be able to, distress at the pressure to get the presents, the food, and all the other goodies that help make Christmas what it is. Of course, Christmas means different things to different people, to some it's merely a curiosity. To many of us it has meaning, a hope, a joyousness that transcends the presents (presence?). Part of the immense joy is what we adults see what it also means to children. Yet, many of us also remember that bursting of the bubble, the innocence lost, the sudden unpleasant realisation that perhaps Santa Claus wasn't real.
I have an 11 year old. I'm fairly certain that he'd been asking the question to himself for at least a year or more - he may have even investigated the question in his own way, but it was recently when some of his peers helped to finally convince him of the "truth". To his credit, he told us he wouldn't spoil it for his younger siblings. We didn't exactly confirm, nor deny, the accuracy of what he'd discovered though.
The time's now come for me to give him a copy of, and to think about, that editorial written well over a hundred years ago to the then 8 year old Virginia. Here's a link to a copy that editorial and a copy of Virginia's letter.
Perhaps he and others may regain that sense of the highest beauty and joy.
Merry Christmas everyone!
I have an 11 year old. I'm fairly certain that he'd been asking the question to himself for at least a year or more - he may have even investigated the question in his own way, but it was recently when some of his peers helped to finally convince him of the "truth". To his credit, he told us he wouldn't spoil it for his younger siblings. We didn't exactly confirm, nor deny, the accuracy of what he'd discovered though.
The time's now come for me to give him a copy of, and to think about, that editorial written well over a hundred years ago to the then 8 year old Virginia. Here's a link to a copy that editorial and a copy of Virginia's letter.
Perhaps he and others may regain that sense of the highest beauty and joy.
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.Go on, read the letter. Ditch of some of that skepticism.
Merry Christmas everyone!
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