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Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus
In 1897, a young girl wrote to The New York Sun asking whether Santa Claus truly existed. The paper's response, written by reporter Francis P. Church, has become a beloved holiday literary tradition. An original approach to a children's classic, this captivating book creatively reinterprets that heartwarming letter about the truth behind Santa Claus and Christmas. It is accompanied by charming Victorian artwork. Joel Spector is an artist and illustrator known for his elegant pastel images. His work appears regularly in magazines and newspapers including Business Week, Newsweek, Good Housekeeping, and The New York Times.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1897
About the author
Francis Pharcellus Church
17 books6 followersHe was born in Rochester, New York and graduated from Columbia College of Columbia University in New York City in 1859.
With his brother William Conant Church he established The Army and Navy Journal in 1863, and Galaxy magazine in 1866 (merged with Atlantic Monthly after 10 years[1]). He was a lead editorial writer on his brother's newspaper, the New York Sun, and it was in that capacity that in 1897 he wrote his most famous editorial, Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. In this editorial he responds to a young girl's question if there truly is a Santa Claus, writing that he definitely exists and placing himself within Christmas' history forever.[neutrality is disputed]
Church died in New York City, aged 67, and was buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Sleepy Hollow, New York. He had no children.
Source: Wikipedia
With his brother William Conant Church he established The Army and Navy Journal in 1863, and Galaxy magazine in 1866 (merged with Atlantic Monthly after 10 years[1]). He was a lead editorial writer on his brother's newspaper, the New York Sun, and it was in that capacity that in 1897 he wrote his most famous editorial, Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. In this editorial he responds to a young girl's question if there truly is a Santa Claus, writing that he definitely exists and placing himself within Christmas' history forever.[neutrality is disputed]
Church died in New York City, aged 67, and was buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Sleepy Hollow, New York. He had no children.
Source: Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
December 19, 2022
Today, I decided to go rummaging in the basement to find my children's old Christmas Picture books.
Oh, I'd forgotten about this one. What a lovely story!
Eight year old Virginia O'Hanlon writes a letter to, "The Sun" newspaper in New York City asking if there really is a Santa Claus. The book is the exact reply by the editor, Francis P. Church. It was originally published on September 21, 1897.
I loved the magical reply of trying to keep the wonder of Christmas alive. It reminds me a little of my favourite Christmas movie, "Miracle on 34th Street." The accompanying illustrations were big and beautiful.
A lovely story filled with hope and joy 🎅🏼
Oh, I'd forgotten about this one. What a lovely story!
Eight year old Virginia O'Hanlon writes a letter to, "The Sun" newspaper in New York City asking if there really is a Santa Claus. The book is the exact reply by the editor, Francis P. Church. It was originally published on September 21, 1897.
I loved the magical reply of trying to keep the wonder of Christmas alive. It reminds me a little of my favourite Christmas movie, "Miracle on 34th Street." The accompanying illustrations were big and beautiful.
A lovely story filled with hope and joy 🎅🏼
September 21, 2022
The most memorable piece of journalism written. Read this on the 125th anniversery of it's first publication.
December 21, 2015
Now THIS is how you respond when your kids ask you about Santa and you do not want to have to make them cynical ass-holes just yet. This op-ed article responding to a young girls letter concerning Santa Claus was written by Frank Church, a war correspondent of the American Civil War. He had seen some of the worst of humanity of his generation and now he has to look within himself and give not just a response about an old man in a red suit, but a reason for simply believing at all. This book is as much about philosophy and the idea of believing as it is about Christmas and Church (for Virginia's sake) is vey much on the side of radical idealism. I had always heard of this article, but never read it until much later in life. It has not been able to convince me to start making new petitions to the North Pole, but I cannot fault Church's motives and I cannot deny that it is simply a well written response to a child. It does not insult her, but it does not talk down to her. This is the way we should write or talk to children when they come to us for advice or with problems.
December 22, 2023
What a wonderful story!!
December 4, 2023
Yes, there is a Santa Claus, I've been telling everyone that for years. When my grandchildren both decided there wasn't a Santa I of course told them that there was. They tried to convince me otherwise, but I got someone on my side when their mother walked into the room and I asked her how old she was when I told her there wasn't a Santa Claus. She had to say I never told her that and when I asked why, she said "because there is a Santa". So there. When it comes to Santa, he is the only person who is on my side when it comes to Christmas. He is the only other person who thinks of Christmas at least once a day all the days of the year. But still my grandchildren try to convince me they are right. I ask them if they have ever seen Santa, and when they say no I ask them how they know he doesn't exist if they've never seen him. They used to look confused when I told them that, now that they are teenagers they just roll their eyes. And so I say to them:
September 24, 2014
Beautiful Classic Book!
December 18, 2016
My Christmas book for today. Lovely message and wonderful illustrations.
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December 12, 2021Despite the fame of this story, I'd only read bits of it and never all of it in its entirety, until now.
This story is about a young girl named Virginia, who sends the New York Sun Times, a reputable newspaper back in the day, a question: Is there a Santa Claus. Mr. Francis P. Church replied and his answer is lovely.
It's hard to properly explain and review a story like this, so I'd definitely recommend reading this one yourself. It's very short and important. And one that I think will continue to last for many more years to come.
This story is about a young girl named Virginia, who sends the New York Sun Times, a reputable newspaper back in the day, a question: Is there a Santa Claus. Mr. Francis P. Church replied and his answer is lovely.
It's hard to properly explain and review a story like this, so I'd definitely recommend reading this one yourself. It's very short and important. And one that I think will continue to last for many more years to come.
December 24, 2020
The exact letter published in the the New York Sun in 1897. The illustrations are really detailed!
December 23, 2021
A wonderful book about a little girl who writes to the Sun in New York to ask if there was really a Santa Claus because her said there wasn't. This book has the reply that was posted in the newspaper. A great children's book.
December 11, 2019
I believe!
December 1, 2022
Now this is a fantastic Christmas letter, the holiday spirit is alive and well if only we can remember what it really means. Gorgeous little book.
It's one to go back to again and again and to share with next generations to come!
It's one to go back to again and again and to share with next generations to come!
December 27, 2023
🖋️ How sad that people were so jaded and misinformed, even back in the 1890s! Truly, Santa Claus is real; he is Saint Nicholas, a real person who walked our Earth, a 4th century Catholic bishop in Myra (located in present-day Turkey). There is a story that is attributed to him whereby he helped children, and even found a way to help a poor father provide a dowry for his daughters.
Yet, the mistaken myth that Santa Claus (Saint Nicholas) isn’t real persists. It even showed up here, in a New York City newspaper, The Sun, in September 1897. Little Virginia O’Hanlon wrote to the editors and asked if there is a Santa Claus. The answer, written by Francis Pharcellus Church, is odd:
“Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! . . . No Santa Claus! Thank GOD!”
Although the long answer from The Sun’s editors talks about the spirit of giving being in all of us, it does, unfortunately, put the kibosh on the existence of Santa Claus-Saint Nicholas.
What is wrong with telling a kid the truth that Santa Claus is Saint Nicholas was a real, honest-to-goodness person? What he did is something we all can aspire to: Be good to people and give when you can. The modern fable states “. . . kids are too young to understand the true nature of Santa Claus.” Kids have been encouraged to be knowledgeable about adult things way too soon these days, and they won't grasp the straightforwardness of the Santa Claus-Saint Nicholas correlation? Well, if parents teach their children about Saint Nicholas-Santa Claus, yes, they will understand the truth. This is not to say parents should lie about the existence of him, but with the proper tact they can explain that Santa Claus (Saint Nicholas) works behind the scenes in delivering presents.
“Santa Claus is an idea” says the modern-day fable. An idea? Ideas are thoughts for courses of possible actions. Ideas just sit there. To leave this as “an idea” is dismissing the action that parents should exhibit and encourage.
Tut-tut. Pooh-Pooh. Everyone gets a trophy, and no one gets the action going. It’s the thought, the idea, that counts.
Nope.
Kids will eventually figure out the correlation between Santa Claus and Saint Nicholas, but to lie about “no Santa Claus because it’s an idea” to them is doing them a disservice.
📙Published in 1897.
●▬●🔷●🔷●▬●
Yet, the mistaken myth that Santa Claus (Saint Nicholas) isn’t real persists. It even showed up here, in a New York City newspaper, The Sun, in September 1897. Little Virginia O’Hanlon wrote to the editors and asked if there is a Santa Claus. The answer, written by Francis Pharcellus Church, is odd:
“Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! . . . No Santa Claus! Thank GOD!”
Although the long answer from The Sun’s editors talks about the spirit of giving being in all of us, it does, unfortunately, put the kibosh on the existence of Santa Claus-Saint Nicholas.
What is wrong with telling a kid the truth that Santa Claus is Saint Nicholas was a real, honest-to-goodness person? What he did is something we all can aspire to: Be good to people and give when you can. The modern fable states “. . . kids are too young to understand the true nature of Santa Claus.” Kids have been encouraged to be knowledgeable about adult things way too soon these days, and they won't grasp the straightforwardness of the Santa Claus-Saint Nicholas correlation? Well, if parents teach their children about Saint Nicholas-Santa Claus, yes, they will understand the truth. This is not to say parents should lie about the existence of him, but with the proper tact they can explain that Santa Claus (Saint Nicholas) works behind the scenes in delivering presents.
“Santa Claus is an idea” says the modern-day fable. An idea? Ideas are thoughts for courses of possible actions. Ideas just sit there. To leave this as “an idea” is dismissing the action that parents should exhibit and encourage.
Tut-tut. Pooh-Pooh. Everyone gets a trophy, and no one gets the action going. It’s the thought, the idea, that counts.
Nope.
Kids will eventually figure out the correlation between Santa Claus and Saint Nicholas, but to lie about “no Santa Claus because it’s an idea” to them is doing them a disservice.
📙Published in 1897.
●▬●🔷●🔷●▬●
December 24, 2018
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus is a phrase from an editorial called "Is There a Santa Claus?". The editorial appeared in the September 21, 1897, edition of The New York Sun and has since become part of popular Christmas folklore in the United States. It is the most reprinted newspaper editorial in the English language.
Virginia O'Hanlon, who lived with her parents in Manhattan, sent a letter to The New York Sun asking the follow: "Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?". Sun editorial writer Francis Pharcellus Church gave her an amazingly beautifully response, which is the title of the book. Church's response was so beautifully and wonderfully written that it still resonate more than a century later and I suspect that it will still resonate a thousand years, nay, ten times ten thousand years to come.
Joel Spector illustrated this particular edition. His illustrations were phenomenally rendered and reminiscent of pastels and has an air of the time. The illustrations brought to life the words of penned by young Virginia O'Hanlon and Francis Pharcellus Church extremely well.
All in all, Yes, Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus is a wonderful classical story based on real life events that has endured for over a century and hopefully would continue to do.
Virginia O'Hanlon, who lived with her parents in Manhattan, sent a letter to The New York Sun asking the follow: "Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?". Sun editorial writer Francis Pharcellus Church gave her an amazingly beautifully response, which is the title of the book. Church's response was so beautifully and wonderfully written that it still resonate more than a century later and I suspect that it will still resonate a thousand years, nay, ten times ten thousand years to come.
Joel Spector illustrated this particular edition. His illustrations were phenomenally rendered and reminiscent of pastels and has an air of the time. The illustrations brought to life the words of penned by young Virginia O'Hanlon and Francis Pharcellus Church extremely well.
All in all, Yes, Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus is a wonderful classical story based on real life events that has endured for over a century and hopefully would continue to do.
November 27, 2018
(I didn't actually read this book, I read only the original editorial, available here!)
I wish I had this book to see the illustrations, which everyone says are so wonderful! Unfortunately, I only read the editorial. However, it's such a cute editorial and it's EXACTLY how you should respond to kids when they ask you the question, "Is Santa Claus real?" It's a super adorable, quick read if you need something to read to kids--well, I don't have any, but I'm just guessing. The writing is nothing wildly spectacular, being that Church was more of a war journalist than a fiction writer, but it still has its really great moments!
Quotes:
"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."
"Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world."
I wish I had this book to see the illustrations, which everyone says are so wonderful! Unfortunately, I only read the editorial. However, it's such a cute editorial and it's EXACTLY how you should respond to kids when they ask you the question, "Is Santa Claus real?" It's a super adorable, quick read if you need something to read to kids--well, I don't have any, but I'm just guessing. The writing is nothing wildly spectacular, being that Church was more of a war journalist than a fiction writer, but it still has its really great moments!
Quotes:
"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."
"Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world."
December 11, 2018
This book inspires the same feeling that the original Miracle on 34th Street does within me (I also watch that film every year). It speaks of a desire to view the world through a lense of hope and joy, and considering that this came after the Civil War, and Miracle on 34th Street just after WWII, I think it is very poignant that there was such an intense desire to preserve the magical things that bring joy and childlike wonder to the world. I feel like perhaps that is why I am so prone to feeling deeply nostalgic about it now--the world feels as though it is teetering on a precipice, and I am trying to reach out during this holiday season and hold onto faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, and wonder because, after all, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.
December 27, 2023
A great Christmas story to read! The book begins with a sparse yet beautiful Latin text among pictures. Once the story is over, there is a section following that has Latin and English text side by side, showing the story in an easy to read font so you can compare the languages to understand the translation. The next page (front and back) is a glossary of Latin terms, so you don't need a separate dictionary to read this book. Then it ends with a few blank pages titled "Christmas Memories" so you can write your own experiences in the book too. Of course, the book was made in the scriptural format, so the page numberings are on the inner corners of the book! Definitely a fun Latin exercise to enjoy during the Christmas holidays!
February 21, 2023
1897 classic Newspaper column answers the question, "Is there a Santa Claus?" This book had me in tears. The original letter and the New York Sun newspaper column answer are printed, Plus the biographies of Francis P Church (Journalist) and Virginia O'Hamlion (child). It is no surprise that Virginia grew up in New York, went to college, and taught children with chronic illness. A MUST for holiday reading. Enjoy.
November 15, 2023
Como "cuento" navideño me parece correcto, bonito; es una lectura muy buena para leer junto a un niño en estas épocas festivas. Pero más alucinante me parece desde un punto de vista pragmático-cultural que un artículo de un periódico de hace 125 años haya tenido tanto legado en cuentos infantiles, adaptaciones y cultura popular. Y que este sea el primer acercamiento a todo un pilar navideño-estadounidense es la forma correcta de hacerlo.
February 22, 2017
Written as a response to an eight year old girl's question - "Is there a Santa Claus?", this is a beautifully crafted article by veteran newsman Francis Church.
"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."
"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."
December 23, 2020
I forgot how awesome this Christmas Childhood story is. Reading it now as an adult, it continues to create the magic in christmas. The magic in believing. It brings the spirit of christmas back and makes you believe once more of the big man in red. Don't let that belief die. Take it as a symbol of the spirit of christmas.
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December 2, 2021This is wonderful as it is presented as a letter in a published newspaper. The beautiful thing is how it clearly explains Santa who has existed and will always be as a result of the love we have for each other that is focused differently at the time of Christmas. We make Santa immortal. Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus.
December 25, 2023
This was adorable. Yes, Virginia is the story of the original editor's response published in the New York Sun. If you don't know the background of this story, a little girl named Virginia wrote to the newspaper asking if Santa was real and the editor responded. Church took the original response and turned it into this book with classic illustrations.
December 24, 2017
A delightful, though sometimes quirky, translation of a classic of the Christian Christmas holiday. I rather wish I had read this when I used to teach a class on Mythology; the important distinction between truth and fact is on display!
May 9, 2020
This classic story began as a letter first printed in The Sun newspaper on September 21, 1897.
A little girl by the name of Virginia writes to the newspaper to ask if there really is a Santa Claus, and her letter is published with a reply that has become part of Christmas tradition for many.
A little girl by the name of Virginia writes to the newspaper to ask if there really is a Santa Claus, and her letter is published with a reply that has become part of Christmas tradition for many.
December 23, 2020
A very good answer to the question every child asks.
"The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. .... Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world."
"The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. .... Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 10, 2023
yes, Virginia
A quick and happy read. Historical detail adds clarity to the story and the movie. I watch it every Christmas and several times throughout the years it lifts my spirit.
A quick and happy read. Historical detail adds clarity to the story and the movie. I watch it every Christmas and several times throughout the years it lifts my spirit.
January 3, 2018
One of my favorite Christmas stories, I cry every year when I reread it!
January 14, 2018
This book sparks the faith and determination in all readers.
February 6, 2018
Beautiful retelling of the story of a young girl who wrote to a newspaper to ask if Santa was real or not. Includes dates and the response from the newspaper editor. Wonderful illustrations.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews