Long, long ago in 1897 a little girl named Virginia wrote to her local newspaper asking if Santa Claus was real. The editor replied: “(you) have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age” as he defended the spirit of love, generosity and childlike faith. “How dreary would the world be if there were no Santa Claus,” he wrote.
If 1897 could be considered a skeptical age, what would we possibly call the times of today that are so full of crassness, commercialization and self-indulgence? Still, there is great evidence of love, generosity and childlike wonder in our over-mechanized and desensitized world. Thank goodness the “most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see,” as little Virginia’s newspaper editor wrote to her.
We still teach the Sunday school story of the Christmas Star, the three wise men at the manger and the angels on high. Some of the Christmas carols we sing are over 600 years old. Isn’t it still true that “tiny little tots with their eyes all aglow, will find it hard to sleep tonight” on Christmas Eve knowing Santa is on his way?
The birth of Jesus Christ is the original Christmas miracle, which Christians celebrate all around the world. But there may be a newer Christmas miracle, and that is that so many Christmas traditions still exist. Modern times and society’s changes have not been very kind to the religious and cultural origins of this holiday that enfolds the stories of the origin of Christianity, the Roman’s solstice, ancient pagan rituals, the beatification of St. Nicholas and Charles Dickens’ Victorian tale of “A Christmas Story.”
And yes, Santa Claus, too, who was first introduced in his contemporary visage by illustrator Thomas Nast in 1881, and who continues to make lists of naughty and nice children. (So you better watch out.)
So long as families gather and share gifts and food (and TV football) and carols are sung (or played on laptops) and we have The Grinch, Snoopy, Rudolph (and Bad Santa and Elf on a Shelf) we will continue to share the spirit of Christmas and the arrival of Santa Claus.
As Virginia’s editor wrote: “No Santa Claus! Thank God! He lives and lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10 times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.”
And, isn’t the most real spirit of Christmas always found in our childhood memories, “to kids from 1 to 92?”
Which of us can swear he or she never heard Santa’s reindeer’s hooves on our rooftop on Christmas Eve? The extra proof was always the half-eaten cookie we left for him by the decorated Christmas tree. Many of us are old enough to remember visiting the real Santa Claus at Sears & Roebuck or Rosenbergs. (That was before he moved to the mall and started charging big prices for his photo.)
And what will be the childhood memories being created in these Christmas times? Surely, they will all be captured on our smart phone cameras and shared on Facebook. But will they be lasting? Although the “most real things” of love, faith and generosity still exist, is something else missing?
If little Virginia were living today what kind of Christmas questions might she email to her newspaper? We can only imagine.
“Dear Virginia,” we might reply, “be sure to look up at the Christmas sky. All those stars are like Christmas wishes and one can belong to you so long as you believe it. Your wishes will keep the spirit of Christmas alive and we’re sure Santa Claus will want to thank you.”
Merry Christmas to all.
