| Santa |
Santa
History of
Letters by Adeila Ladson
Santa Letters became a staple of December newspaper editions in the late 19th century and its a much-loved tradition that continues today . The most famous Santa Letter was not published in December and was not , actually , written to Santa but concerned a more important matter : Is Santa Claus real ?
On September 21 , 1879 , the New York Sun published an editorial in response to a letter to the editor by eight-year-old Virginia O ’ Hanlon :
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 ?
The response was written by the Sun ’ s writer , Francis Church , who remained anonymous as the author until his death , in 1906 . This is probably the most famous editorial that ’ s ever been written and it ’ s message rings just as true now and in every decade since : Yes , Virginia , there is a Santa Claus .
32 MoultrieScene HOLIDAY 2024