Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus

Is There a Santa Claus? was the title of an editorial appearing in the September 21, 1897 edition of the New York Sun. The editorial, which included the famous reply "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus", has become an indelible part of popular Christmas lore in the United States and Canada. The editorial articulated the view of Santa Claus as embodying the spirit goodwill of the holiday season. The primary idea is that as long as the spirit of goodwill exists, then Santa Claus will be real and alive in the hearts of children, the young at heart, and adults world-wide.

History
In July 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 O'Hanlon had begun to doubt there was a Santa Claus, because her friends had told her that he did not exist.

Dr. O’Hanlon suggested she write to the New York Sun, a prominent New York City newspaper at the time, assuring her that "If you see it in The Sun, it's so." So shortly after her eighth birthday in July 1897, Virginia mailed off her letter to the New York Sun. 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.

In 1972, after seeing Virginia O'Hanlon's obituary in the New York Times, four friends formed a company called Elizabeth Press and published a children's book titled Yes, Virginia that illustrated the editorial and included a brief history of the main characters. The book's creators took the book to Warner Brothers who eventually did the Emmy award-winning Television show based on the editorial. 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 $20,000–30,000.

Text of Virginia's Letter to the New York Sun


Virginia O’Hanlon’s Letter to the New York Sun in 1897. Link to full size video

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 95th Street

Text of the New York Sun Editorial Reply


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.

New York Sun Editorial Reply to Virginia’s Letter on September 21, 1897. Link to full size video

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.

Virginia's identity
Virginia O'Hanlon's full name is Laura Virginia O'Hanlon Douglas. She was born on July 20, 1889 in Manhattan, New York. Her marriage to Edward Douglas in the 1910s was brief, and ended with him deserting her shortly before their child, Laura, was born. Virginia was listed as divorced in the 1930 United States Census.

Virginia received her Bachelor of Arts from Hunter College in 1910; a Master's degree in Education from Columbia University in 1912, and a doctorate from Fordham University. 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.

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. In an interview later in life, she credited the editorial with shaping the direction of her life quite positively.

Virginia died on May 13, 1971 in a nursing home in Valatie, New York. She is buried at the Chatham Rural Cemetery in Chatham, New York.

Legacy
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.

Video of a scene from the 1991 made-for-TV movie Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus staring Richard Thomas and Charles Bronson. Link to full size video

The story of Virginia's inquiry and the The Sun's response was adapted in 1932 into an NBC produced cantata (the only known editorial set to classical music) and an Emmy Award-winning animated television special in 1974 (see article Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus - 1974 Animated Television Special for videos), animated by Bill Meléndez (best known for his work on the various Peanuts specials) and featuring the voices of Jim Backus and Jimmy Osmond. In 1991 it was adapted into a made-for-TV movie staring Richard Thomas and Charles Bronson. In 1996, the story of Virginia's inquiry and the The Sun's response was adapted into a holiday musical “Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus” by David Kirchenbaum (Music and Lyrics) and Myles McDonnel (Book).

Video of advertisement for Macy's 2010 Presentation of Yes, Virginia on CBS. Link to full size video

Another remake, a CGI animated story called simply Yes, Virginia, was first aired in 2009 on CBS with Beatrice Miller as Virginia, Neil Patrick Harris, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Alfred Molina providing the lead voices. See article Yes, Virginia - 2009 Animated Television Special for videos.

In New York City, local television journalist Gabe Pressman has recounted the story each Christmas for the past thirty years.

Video of Gabe Pressman retelling the Christmas tale of a little girl who writes the New York Sun about Santa Claus on New York City’s NBC Station on December 25, 2008. Link to full size video

On the 100th anniversary of the original publication, the NY Times published a celebratory article.

In 2003 "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus" was depicted in a mechanical holiday window display at the Lord &amp; Taylor department store on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.

In 2009, The Studio School in New York City, honored the life and legacy of Virginia O’Hanlon. Janet C. Rotter, Head of School, announced the establishment of the Virginia O’Hanlon Scholarship, speaking passionately about The Studio School’s commitment to offering need-based scholarships for students of merit.

Virginia's descendants continue her legacy.

NORAD Tracks Santa Program
Both Virginia's letter to the New York Sun and the editorial reply have been featured on the NORAD Tracks Santa website from 1997 to the present in answer to the question of “Is Santa Real ?” Over the years, the NORAD Tracks Santa website has presented Santa’s letter and reply in both text and audio form.

Macy's - Make-A-Wish Foundation - Yes, Virginia - CBS
Macy’s in partnership with the Make-A-Wish Foundation launched its first Believe campaign in 2008, based on the positive beliefs as articulated in September 21, 1897 edition of the New York Sun editorial “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.” The 2008 Believe campaign results included Macy’s collecting 1.1 million letters from Santa Mail Red Letter boxes located in Macy’s  stores, that were then mailed to Santa Claus thru the United States Post Office "Operation Santa,"and Macy’s making a matching $ 1 million US contribution to the Make-A-Wish Foundation for the letters collected by Macy’s.

Video of the 2008 Macy's holiday commercial which featured Jessica Simpson, Donald Trump, Martha Stewart and others quoting various popular lines from "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus." Link to full size video

The 2008 Macy's Believe holiday commercial featured Jessica Simpson, Donald Trump, Martha Stewart and others quoting various popular lines from "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus." The opening lines appeared again in the 2009 Believe holiday commercial featuring Queen Latifah.

Video of the 2009 Macy's holiday commercial which featured Queen Latifah. Link to full size video

Behind the scenes video of the development "Yes, Virginia" in 2009. Link to full size video

In 2009, Macy's and Macy's ad agency JWT produced Yes, Virginia, an animated Christmas special, after pitching and selling the idea to CBS. “Yes, Virginia” is a fictionalized version of the Virginia O'Hanlon story. The film was directed by Pete Circuitt and animated by Starz Animation, makers of Tim Burton's 9. It features the voice talents of Beatrice Miller as Virginia, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Neil Patrick Harris, and Alfred Molina.

The 2009 Holiday season impacts from the “Yes, Virginia” special broadcast on the CBS television network on December 11, 2009 were: 1) ”Yes, Virginia” reached more than 3.7 million television viewers, 2) the associated  public relations effort resulted in a substantial lift in overall exposure during Macy’s most critical season with 1.84 billion impressions generated, 3) On the night of the show on December 11, 2009, “Yes, Virginia” was Google’s No. 1 and No.4 hottest search terms, 4) “Yes, Virginia” made TV Guide’s coveted Hot List. USA Today said, "Like Santa himself, Virginia should be a welcome Christmas visitor for years to come." Parents Television Council named it the Best TV Show of the Week, and 5) Holiday sales for the five-week period ending January 2, 2010 achieved Macy’s sales goals: $4.4 billion US in sales, 1% growth in same-store sales, and 29% growth of Macys.com.

Video of "Yes, Virginia" on CBS' The Early Show with Harry Smith on December 17, 2010. Link to full size video

Since 2009, CBS has been the U.S. TV network broadcaster of Yes, Virginia.

Video of Macy's 2010 Make-a-wish collect a million reasons to Believe. Link to full size video



For Macy's 2010 Believe campaign, Virginia, depicted as a young cartoon character, was part of and appeared in their 2010 holiday commercials, inviting children to stores to write "Yes Virginia Santa Letters," and at the Macy's department store on 34th and Broadway in Manhattan as the theme for its 2010 holiday windows. Virginia was also represented as a float in the 2010 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

2010 Video of Macy’s New York City’s “Yes, Virginia” Store Window Display. Link to full size video

Macy's Believe is back this year! For every letter to Santa received at Macy's special mailboxes,, $1 is donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, up to $1 million. On Nov. 4, 2011, Martine Reardon, Macy's Executive Vice President of Marketing, and David Williams, CEO & President of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, appeared on The Early Show to officially announce the beginning of Believe 2011! For more information, visit http://macys.com/believe. Link to full size video

Bring Virginia and her friends to life when you mail your letter to Santa at Macy's! Learn how the Macy's Believe-o-Magic app works, and download it from the iTunes Store or Android Marketplace to take your photo with Virginia in stores. For more information, visit http://macys.com/believe. Link to full size video

For Macy's 2011 Believe campaign, customers mailing their letters at Macy’s “Believe Stations” in-store can take photos with the campaign’s animated stars, Virginia, Ollie and their friends through the magic of Macy’s and augmented reality technology. Using this new augmented reality technology, customers with iPhone and select Android smartphones can download the “Macy’s Believe-o-Magic” application that allows them to unlock the magic to see and interact with Virginia, Ollie and their friends. Customers can step in the frame and take a photo, which can also be uploaded into a holiday card template to share via e-mail or Facebook. Customers can also preview the magic at home by downloading the application and printing out the marker. When they point “Macy’s Believe-o-Magic” camera at the marker, they can see an animated Virginia ice skating right in their homes! “Macy's Believe-o-Magic” app was created and produced by Macy's and JWT in conjunction with Metaio GmbH and The Ebeling Group.

Yes, Virginia. There is a Santa Claus! Mail your letter to Santa at Macy's this holiday season and help make wishes come true. For every letter we receive in-store at our special red mailboxes, we'll donate $1 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, up to $1 million. For more information, visit http://macys.com/believe. Link to full size video

The 2011 Believe campaign similar to the prior Believe campaigns featured a Macy’s Santa Claus Tour, which are similar to the annual Father Frost (“Ded Moroz”) tours of Russia and Europe. Virginia was represented for the second year as a float in the 2011 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.



"Yes, Svetlana, There is a Grandfather Frost"
As part of the on-going Winter Holiday Wizard competition between Santa Claus and the Russian Father Frost (also known as “Grandfather Frost“ or “Ded Moroz” in Russian), in 2008 the American playwright Jeff Goode Jeff Goode wrote the play “Yes, Svetlana, There is a Grandfather Frost.”  Set in 1950, a group of Soviet newspaper employees are forced to choose between ethics and personal survival when they uncover a plan is by the Soviet authorities to raid an "unauthorized" Christmas-tree lighting ceremony. Constantly censored by the "Party," the journalists are confronted by a local Security Committee member and his physically imposing support thug. It's set against the backdrop of a letter from a young girl asking whether Grandfather Frost, the Party's nonreligious alternative to St. Nickolas, actually exists. This play has been shown in several locations in the United States.

Use of "Yes, Virginia" in Satire, Parody, and as an Idiomatic Expression
Other indicators of the popularity of "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus" is the use of “Yes, Virginia, there is (a) (subject – person, object, activity, and/or concept)” (or similar phrase) in satire, parody , and as an idiomatic expression to insist that something is true   , without the expression becoming a cliché.

Referring to the Work or Phrase "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus" itself

 * In the 1987 Christmas special of Alf a portion of the editorial is read..
 * In the Secret Santa episode of Warehouse 13 Artie says "Warehouse 13 – Season 1 – Episode - Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus."
 * In Season 2, Episode 13 ("Strangled") of Crossing Jordan, Dr. Nigel Townsand, criminologist, exclaims: "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus!" after he hears some good news.
 * The last two paragraphs of Church's editorial are read by actor Sam Elliot in the 1989 film Prancer, about a little girl who believes the wounded reindeer she is nursing back to health belongs to Santa. The girl's story inspires the local newspaper editor, as Virginia's letter did  Church, to write an editorial which he titles Yes, Santa, there are still Virginias.
 * In the 2005 Marvel Holiday Special “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santron”, an ex-employee of Stark Industries named Virginia “Virgie” Hanlon remodels a version of Ultron into Santron, to prove to her childhood peers that Santa does exist. Santron then proceeds on its mission to bring Chrismas Eve cheer to all, except the Avengers, and with Ultron programming to attack Avengers at their holiday party.  The Avengers then defeat Santron.  The Avengers then pay a visit to Virgie, and Captain America makes a speech, affirming that "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus."
 * Cartoon Network also used, "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus," as a slogan during the 2008–2009 holiday season.
 * On the fourth flight day of Apollo 8, the first human mission to orbit the Moon, after reestablishing radio contact with mission control in Houston, command module pilot Jim Lovell replied to CAPCOM Ken Mattingly's attempt to reestablish contact, saying, "Roger. Please be informed there is a Santa Claus," to which Mattingly responded, "That's affirmative. You're the best ones to know."

Use of "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus" in Satire or Parody

 * A blog entry was made at Sourcefire Vulnerability Research Team blog entitled “Yes, Virginia, there is Cyberwar”, written as satire in July 2010, and using the same format as Virginia’s letter and the New York Suneditorial reply, to point out the cyberwar threat and how to wisely tackle that threat.
 * A blog entry was made at the The Huffington Post website, entitled “Yes, Santa, There is a Virginia”, written by Fortune magazine’s Stanley Bing on 21 December 2009 as satire and to illustrate the winter holiday season role reversal and, using the same format as Virginia’s letter and the New York Suneditorial reply, to point out that the childhood exists within everyone.
 * A blog entry was made entitled “Yes, Virginia, There is a War on Terror”, written as satire on 24 December 2007, at the The Huffington Post website, and using the same format as Virginia’s letter and the New York Suneditorial reply, to point out that the war on terror exists and how to wisely pursue the war on terror.
 * John Steinbeck wrote a parody 'Yes Joe, There Is a Santa Claus' in a letter to Joseph Bryan III dated December 17, 1957.
 * The Dresden Dolls used 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". The Dresden Dolls' 2008 compilation album, No, Virginia... featured a dead Santa Claus on the cover as a humorous reference to its namesake.
 * &quot;Weird Al&quot; Yankovic used the line "Yes, Virginia, now Santa's doing time" in his Christmas parody, "The Night Santa Went Crazy". These lyrics were changed to "Yes, Virginia, now Santa Claus is dead" for the "Extra Gory Version".
 * In Season 1, Episode 5 of Law &amp; Order: Special Victims Unit, Detective Munch expounds "Yes, Santa, there is a Virginia" when the missing person of interest Virginia Hayes is found in Grand Central Station.
 * In the TV show Veronica Mars, the tenth episode of the first season ends with the line "No Veronica, there is no Santa Claus"
 * In his 2004 book Liberwocky, Victor Gold includes a parody of the editorial, listing reasons why Santa Claus is "wanted" by the U.S. government.
 * In 1950 Wolcott Gibbs of The New Yorker wrote a satirical version of the Church letter, parodying the style of Westbrook Pegler, and depicting Santa Claus as an old communist and union racketeer also known as Comrade Jelly Belly.
 * In the 2005 movie, Santa's Slay, Bill Goldberg, as Santa, uses the line before going on a violent rampage at a family Christmas Party.
 * The Freedom From Religion Foundation ran a bus ad campaign with the slogan "Yes, Virginia, there is no god."
 * "Yes, Virginia, there is a Cthulhu" is a parody of the letter in the vein of H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos. The posting is attributed to Steven Harris, and is variously listed as "originally appeared in Jan, 1997", or "posted to alt.horror.cthulhu in April of 1999".
 * In the show Recess and the movie Recess Christmas: Miracle On Third Street, the name of its Christmas episode was called "Recess Christmas: Miracle On Third Street - Yes, Mikey, Santa does Shave – imdb.com" that parodies the editorial "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus."
 * In one of the many macabre cartoons Charles Addams published in The New Yorker magazine, a creepy-looking newspaper editor with a frightening grin is hunched over his desk, penning an editorial that includes the line "Yes, Virginia, there is a boogeyman."

Use of "Yes, Virginia" or similar phrase as part of an Idiomatic Expression

 * “Yes, Virginia, Cooler Objects Can Make Warmer Objects Even Warmer Still”, by Roy W. Spencer, Ph.D. at his website on 23 July 2010.
 * “Yes, Virginia, you can build native iOS apps with jQuery Mobile”, by Matthew David and published on O’Reilly Media’s “Inside RIA” website on 6 December 2010.
 * Season 4, episode 15 of Hercules: the Legendary Journeys, is an episode titled "Yes, Virginia, There Is a Hercules.” At the end of this episode it is revealed that Kevin Sorbo (the actor who portrays Hercules in the show) is in fact Hercules, and exists in the present day.
 * When the Detroit Lions won their first game of the 2001 season after losing their first 12 games, Jay Leno, who mocked the Lions for losing all season long, joked "There was a new Christmas movie released this weekend. It was called ‘Yes, Detroit, There Is An End Zone.’”
 * “Yes, Virginia, there really is such a thing as noblesse oblige” by Daria in the TV-movie "Is It College Yet?".
 * “Ah! Yes, Virginia! There is an escape clause!” by Hawkeye in the TV-series MASH in episode 7 of season 9 entitled “Your Retention Please,” when Klinger tells Hawkeye that he (Klinger) has not sworn in yet to reenlist.