A 'lil HooHaa

Messing with the blogging world since 2005

santa claus

Timeless Words: Yes, Virginia

In 2011, I published this post on the blog. I thought it would be a good one to bring back each year. I want to repeat that post in the holiday spirit. Enjoy!

More than 100 years ago, one of the most famous lines in newspaper history was printed in the New York Sun.

“Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus.”

Virginia O’Hanlon, via Wikipedia public domain.

Those words were penned by Francis Pharcellus Church, one of The Sun’s editors. The words were in response to a letter written by 8-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon.

As the story is told, young Virginia asked her father whether or not Santa Claus was real. To that, Dr. O’Hanlon told his daughter to write The Sun, which was one of the top newspapers in New York City at the time. As Virginia noted in her letter to the Sun, her father told her “If you see it in The Sun, it’s so.”

Her letter made its way to Church. The editorial, which is reprinted on a yearly basis in newspapers and on websites, has been used in books, for songs and movies. It is the most reprinted editorial in history, according to Newseum, which also noted it was an editorial without a byline.

Though it has a Christmas theme to it and is mainly reprinted around Christmas, the original ran Sept. 21, 1897.

Virginia wrote this to The Sun:

“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.”

Enter Church, a former Civil War correspondent.

His response is an amazing work. Somewhat buried in the paper, it reportedly got quite the response. And as history has shown, that response is one of the most famous things in a newspaper.

Even in today’s standards, this is one heck of a good piece of work. (Realize that the style of writing between 1897 and now is night and day).

So, without further ado and with the history of this piece done, allow me to give to you — in the spirit of Christmas — Church’s excellent response to young Virginia O’Hanlon.

***

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 measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Church, via Wikipedia public domain.

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 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 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! 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.

This editorial originally was published in The New York Sun on Sept. 21, 1897.

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook! You can also follow me on Twitter @softball29!

Yes, Virginia … timeless words for the holidays

In 2011, I published this post on the blog. I thought it would be a good one to bring back last year after a few tweaks. I want to repeat that post in the holiday spirit. Enjoy!

More than 100 years ago, one of the most famous lines in newspaper history was printed in the New York Sun.

“Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus.”

Virginia O’Hanlon, via Wikipedia public domain.

Those words were penned by Francis Pharcellus Church, one of The Sun’s editors. The words were in response to a letter written by 8-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon.

As the story is told, young Virginia asked her father whether or not Santa Claus was real. To that, Dr. O’Hanlon told his daughter to write The Sun, which was one of the top newspapers in New York City at the time. As Virginia noted in her letter to the Sun, her father told her “If you see it in The Sun, it’s so.”

Her letter made its way to Church. The editorial, which is reprinted on a yearly basis in newspapers and on websites, has been used in books, for songs and movies. It is the most reprinted editorial in history, according to Newseum, which also noted it was an editorial without a byline.

Though it has a Christmas theme to it and is mainly reprinted around Christmas, the original ran Sept. 21, 1897.

Virginia wrote this to The Sun:

“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.”

Enter Church, a former Civil War correspondent.

His response is an amazing work. Somewhat buried in the paper, it reportedly got quite the response. And as history has shown, that response is one of the most famous things in a newspaper.

Even in today’s standards, this is one heck of a good piece of work. (Realize that the style of writing between 1897 and now is night and day).

So, without further ado and with the history of this piece done, allow me to give to you — in the spirit of Christmas — Church’s excellent response to young Virginia O’Hanlon.

***

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 measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Church, via Wikipedia public domain.

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 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 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! 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.

This editorial originally was published in The New York Sun on Sept. 21, 1897.

24

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog [at] gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!

Timeless words to Virginia

In 2011, I published this post on the blog. I thought it would be a good one to bring back this year. I’ve tweaked a few things but, for the most part, the story remains as I wrote it in 2011. Enjoy!

More than 100 years ago, one of the most famous lines in newspaper history was printed in the New York Sun.

“Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus.”

Virginia O’Hanlon, via Wikipedia public domain.

Those words were penned by Francis Pharcellus Church, one of The Sun’s editors. The words were in response to a letter written by 8-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon.

As the story is told, young Virginia asked her father whether or not Santa Claus was real. To that, Dr. O’Hanlon told his daughter to write The Sun, which was one of the top newspapers in New York City at the time. As Virginia noted in her letter to the Sun, her father told her “If you see it in The Sun, it’s so.”

Her letter made its way to Church. The editorial, which is reprinted on a yearly basis in newspapers and on websites, has been used in books, for songs and movies. It is the most reprinted editorial in history, according to Newseum, which also noted it was an editorial without a byline.

Though it has a Christmas theme to it and is mainly reprinted around Christmas, the original ran Sept. 21, 1897.

Virginia wrote this to The Sun:

“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.”

Enter Church, a former Civil War correspondent.

His response is an amazing work. Somewhat buried in the paper, it reportedly got quite the response. And as history has shown, that response is one of the most famous things in a newspaper.

Even in today’s standards, this is one heck of a good piece of work. (Realize that the style of writing between 1897 and now is night and day).

So, without further ado and with the history of this piece done, allow me to give to you — in the spirit of Christmas — Church’s excellent response to young Virginia O’Hanlon.

***

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 measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Church, via Wikipedia public domain.

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 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 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! 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.

This editorial originally was published in The New York Sun on Sept. 21, 1897.

24

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog [at] gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!

Timeless words: Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus

More than 100 years ago, one of the most famous lines in newspaper history was printed in the New York Sun.

“Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus.”

Those words were penned by Francis Pharcellus Church, one of The Sun’s editors. The words were in response to a letter written by 8-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon.

Viriginia O'Hanlon (1890s). Courtesy Wikipedia via the commons licence for public domain.

As the story is told, young Virginia asked her father whether or not Santa Claus was real. To that, Dr. O’Hanlon told his daughter to write The Sun, which was one of the top newspapers in New York City at the time. As Virginia noted in her letter to the Sun, her father told her “If you see it in The Sun, it’s so.”

Her letter made its way to Church. The editorial, which is reprinted on a yearly basis in newspapers and on websites, has been used in books, for songs and movies. It is the most reprinted editorial in history, according to Newseum, which also noted it was an editorial without a byline.

Though it has a Christmas theme to it and is mainly reprinted around Christmas, the original ran Sept. 21, 1897.

Virginia wrote this to The Sun:

“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.”

Enter Church, a former Civil War correspondent.

His response is an amazing work. Somewhat buried in the paper, it reportedly got quite the response. And as history has shown, that response is one of the most famous things in a newspaper.

Even in today’s standards, this is one heck of a good piece of work. (Realize that the style of writing between 1897 and now is night and day).

So, without further ado and with the history of this piece done, allow me to give to you — in the spirit of Christmas — Church’s excellent response to young Virginia O’Hanlon.

***

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 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 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 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! 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.

***

To see the original clipping of this editorial, check it out at Newseum.

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog [at] gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook by clicking the button on the right side of the page!

 

What to watch this Christmas season

As the old saying goes, it’s the most wonderful time of the year.

But besides the cheer, sparkling lights, and the such, what else is wonderful?

One thing I love about this time of year are the Christmas specials on television. From Rankin and Bass to Jim Henson, this season is pluck full of great specials. And though I own many of these specials on DVD, I still look forward to watching them on network television as it’s a throwback to childhood. These shows are fantastic.

With that in mind, I went digging and have come up with my eight favorite Christmas specials. I’ve tried to keep them in the animated/Muppet genre, so there’s no “Christmas Story” (after all, I don’t want to shoot my eye out with the Red Rider BB gun!), or Miracle on 34th Street etc.

Instead, these are those classics that last all of 30 or 60 minutes (including commercials). (Note: Some of these videos from YouTube are not allowed to be embedded, so when you hit “play” it will ask you to go to the YouTube site to watch. If you click the link, it will open a new browser).

8. How the Grinch Stole Christmas

This is a classic (the animated one, not the Jim Carrey one)! The meanie green Grinch looking to take away Christmas from everyone in Hoo-ville! And he nearly succeeds, too! Alas, there’s a heart growing and a happy ending in this Dr. Seuss tale!

7. A Charlie Brown Christmas

I am a massive Peanuts fan. And I like pretty much all Peanuts-related shows. So this is no different. As normal, poor Charlie Brown can’t seem to get anything right, can he? But it is Christmas time, so things are bound to change.

6. ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas

I love this special. If you watch it on network TV, some of it is now chopped. (Commercialism at its finest!) Alas, I have the video finally, so I can watch it from beginning to end. This one is all about trying to make amends with Santa after some local letters ticked him off. It takes you through the work of clock maker Joshua Trundle and his attempt to make Christmas good again!

5. Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town

Rankin and Bass are synonymous with Christmas specials, and this is one of their big ones. It’s the story of Santa Claus and how he came to be. It’s filled with great music and a good story. The sounds of Fred Astaire singing during this special is worth it on that merit alone. It’s a good one. Enjoy it! (This clip takes about 10 seconds before you start hearing sound).

4. Frosty the Snowman

Happy Birthday!

How many of you have no idea what that means when I mention Frosty? If so, make sure you watch this Christmas special, immediately. It’s a timeless classic and well worth the watch. Another Rankin/Bass classic and narrated by Jimmy Durante.

3. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

Misfits. Flying deer. A bumble.

What’s not to like?

Rudolph is a classic in every sense. And this is one that I have to watch every year, no matter what. From dentistry among elves to the Island of Misfit Toys, this is one of my favorites.

And… Burl Ives. Perfect. Have a Holly Jolly Christmas, folks.

2. The Year Without a Santa Claus

It’s shocking how many people tell me they have not seen this one. It’s one of my favorites for sure. It’s a well-done Rankin/Bass production with fantastic music and an entertaining show. It’s about Santa being sick one year and needing to cancel Christmas. What will happen?

I love the songs in this movie. And Mickey Rooney voicing Santa Claus? Awesome.

However, I’d be remiss to just post one YouTube video for this one. Because as great as the show overall is, having the Snow Miser and the Heat Miser are great. And their songs midway through are tough not to share. So, the first video is my favorite song from the show and the second is the Miser Brothers.

The Misers:

1. Emmet Otter’s Jugband Christmas

“Look at the birds up in the trees…”

“We’re not birds, we’re a jugband!”

I love this special. It’s been my favorite since the 1980s when it used to play on HBO all the time during this season. Now, thanks to DVD, it’s something I own.

If you are a fan of the Muppets, you should like this. It’s a Jim Henson production. The music is grand. I love the story. Some of the lines are highly laugh-out-loud funny.

This is a must-watch for me every year. Hopefully it’s the same for you or will become that way!

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog [at] gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook by clicking the button on the right side of the page!