“Is There a Santa Claus?” was the headline that appeared over an editorial in the September 21, 1897 edition of the New York Sun. The editorial, which included the response of “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus”, has become an indelible part of popular Christmas lore in the United States.
Contents |
History
In 1897, Dr. Philip O’Hanlon, a coroner’s assistant on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, was asked by his then eight-year-old daughter, Virginia (1889-1971), whether Santa Claus really existed. Virginia had begun to doubt whether there was a Santa Claus, because her friends had told her that he did not exist. Dr. O’Hanlon told her to write to the New York Sun, a prominent New York City newspaper at the time, assuring her the paper would tell her the truth. While he may have been passing the buck, he unwittingly gave one of the paper’s editors, Francis Pharcellus Church, an opportunity to rise above the simple question, and address the philosophical issues behind it. Church was a war correspondent during the American Civil War, a time which saw great suffering and a corresponding lack of hope and faith in much of society. Although the paper ran the editorial in the seventh place on the editorial page, below even an editorial on the newly invented “chainless bicycle”, its message was very moving to many people who read it. More than a century later it remains the most reprinted editorial ever to run in any newspaper in the English language.[1] The History Channel, in a special that aired on February 21, 2001, noted that Virginia gave the original letter to a granddaughter, who pasted it in a scrapbook. It was feared that the letter was destroyed in a house fire, but thirty years after the fire, it was discovered intact. Some people have questioned the veracity of the letter’s authorship, expressing doubt that a young girl such as Virginia would refer to children her own age as “my little friends”. However, the original copy of the letter appeared and was authenticated by an appraiser on the Antiques Roadshow in 1998. Its value was appraised by Kathleen Guzman, formerly of Christie's - now with PBS' Antiques Roadshow - at approximately $50,000.[2] Interestingly enough, when the editorial is reproduced today, it often omits more than half of Church’s original response. One paragraph that is not often repeated begins, “Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies.” Virginia O'Hanlon's full name is Laura Virginia O'Hanlon Douglas. She was born on July 20, 1889 in Manhattan, New York. She was married to Edward Douglas and was listed as divorced in the 1930 United States Census. Her marriage to Douglas was brief and ended with him deserting her shortly before their child, Laura, was born.[1] Virginia received her Bachelor of Arts from Hunter College in 1910; a Master's degree in Education from Columbia in 1912, and a doctorate from Fordham. Virginia was a school teacher in the New York City School system. She started her career as an educator in 1912, became a junior principal in 1935, and retired in 1959.[3] Virginia died on May 13, 1971 in a nursing home in Valatie, New York.[4] She is buried at the Chatham Rural Cemetery in Chatham, New York. Every year, Virginia’s letter and Church’s response are read at the Yule Log ceremony at Church’s alma mater, Columbia College of Columbia University.[5] The story of Virginia’s inquiry and the Sun’s response was adapted into an Emmy Award-winning animated television special in 1974, animated by Bill Melendez (best known for his work on the various Peanuts specials) and featuring the voices of Jim Backus and Jimmy Osmond, and in 1991 it was adapted into a made-for-TV movie with Ed Asner and Charles Bronson. In New York City, local television journalist Gabe Pressman has recounted the story each Christmas for the past thirty years. Virginia O’Hanlon received a steady stream of mail about her letter throughout her life. She would include a copy of the editorial in her replies.[6] In an interview later in life, she credited the editorial with shaping the direction of her life quite positively.
References in popular culture
The Dresden Dolls use the lines "Yes, Virginia..." as the title of their second album. The story of Virginia and the New York Sun article is also referenced by the track "Mrs. O".
See also
Bibliography
- American National Biography. "Virginia O'Hanlon". V. 16. 1999. p.645-646.
References and notes
- Thomas Vinciguerra. "Yes, Virginia, A Thousand Times Yes", The Week in Review, The New York Times, 1997-09-21.
- ^ a b Campbell, W. Joseph (Spring 2005). "The grudging emergence of American journalism’s classic editorial: New details about “Is There A Santa Claus?”". American Journalism Review 22 (2). University of Maryland, College Park: Philip Merrill College of Journalism. Retrieved on 2007-10-29.
- ^ Antiques Roadshow Broadcast Highlights, Phoenix Arizona 1998, Public Broadcasting Service, accessed September 26 2007
- ^ "Virginia, Now 70, Quits As Teacher; School Principal Who at 8 Asked 'Is There a Santa?' Is a Guest at Dinner" (Abstract of subscription pdf), The New York Times, 1959-06-12. Retrieved on 2007-10-29. "Mrs. Laura Virginia Douglas, retiring after forty-three years as a public school teacher and principal, was given a farewell dinner by her colleagues last night at the Towers Hotel in Brooklyn."
- ^ "Virginia O'Hanlon, Santa's Friend, Dies; Virginia O'Hanlon Dead at 81" (Abstract of subscription pdf), The New York Times, 1971-05-14. Retrieved on 2007-10-29. "Valatie, N. Y., May 13 - Virginia O'Hanlon Douglas, who as a child was reassured that "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus," died today at the age of 81."
- ^ Barnard and Columbia holiday events - Yule Log Ceremony. Barnard Campus News. Barnard College, New York City (2001-12-04). Retrieved on 2007-11-13. “During the Yule Log ceremony, the passing of the seasons is marked by the reading of... the famous editorial on the true spirit of Christmas, "Yes, Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus"”
- ^ Morrison, Jim "Santa Junior"; McElhany, Jennifer. Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. National Christmas Centre, Exhibits. National Christmas Centre. Retrieved on 2007-11-13. “Throughout her life she received a steady stream of mail about her Santa Claus letter, and to each reply she attached an attractive printed copy of the Church editorial.”
External links
- Full text of the editorial with digital image from the original newspaper. From the Newseum, Arlington, VA
- Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus (1974 animated) at the Internet Movie Database
- Yes Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus (1991) at the Internet Movie Database
- CBC radio interview of Virginia O'Hanlon Douglas in 1963
