Yes, Grace Doyle, There IS a Santa Claus

This week marked our fourth at Holy House.  At the end of her first day there, Grace surprised us with a question.  "Truth or Dare: is Santa Claus real?"  She asked the same question about the Tooth Fairy.  Apparently, a child lost a tooth during class that day which led to a discussion of these important topics.
I'll be honest--I was pretty upset.  Obviously, there's a certain loss of control that comes with putting children in a school environment.  Still.  The first day?  Really?  Of course, with our clever daughter waiting for an answer, we had to move quickly into solution mode.
Fortunately, Chris and I land on the same page when it comes to parenting.  We want our kids to come to us with their questions and to know they can trust us.  We take their questions and concerns seriously. But we truly wondered what to say to Grace.  Interestingly, big sister Mia was unconcerned by the questions. She is a very young nine and has an innocent way of seeing things.  Still, we knew that the way we answered Grace's questions would impact both Mia and all of her sisters.
We put her off for twenty four hours or so during which I pouted and mourned the loss of the game for all of us.  I assumed rather than thought about our answer.  And then, it hit me.  I believe in Santa Claus.  I do.  As real as he is for the many children who have loved him--myself included--he has to be real.  Honestly, I believe the same thing about Sophie's mangled mermaid doll, Harriet.  Every time Sophie responds to my pretending about her with, "she's not real", I put my hands over Harriet's non-existent ears in horrified shock.  I love Harriet because Sophie loves her.  And doesn't Sophie herself prove Harriet's realness by needing her so urgently at bedtime each night?  If ever a doll deserved to be real, it's Harriet.
Then there's Ann with an e Shirley.  She is as real to me as any friend and has always inspired me to use my imagination and be brave.

But why go on about this?  Someone has already written it and far better than I could ever do it.

This morning, I read Grace Francis Church's editorial response to Virginia O'Hanlon's letter twice.  I wish I could shake his hand and tell him how beautiful is is.  I especially love this line:

Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.


How marvelous.  Thank God!


For more wonderful tidbits, please read or re-read Mr. Church's article for yourself.



"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 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.


And Grace?

This morning, she lost a tooth of her own.  We'll see whether the Tooth Fairy forgives her....

Catch you here next time!