Twas the Night After Christmas 2015: Don DeForge Silver Sands Veterinary

Don DeForge, VMD-Silver Sands Veterinary

Twas the Night After Christmas

2015

Commentary from Dr. DeForge

If there was ever a time that Virginia O'Hanlon's letter should be read....now is the night and now is the time. Children today are growing up in a world that is impersonal and many times lacking love.  The world is fast paced and "faceless" .......where a creed of violence and murder has become commonplace. Faith is a word that has lost its meaning...... and has been replaced with followers of a new religion of material pleasures.

I have reprinted this newspaper article as part of my blog for many years now....usually before Christmas.....this year I have elected to bring it to you the night after Christmas.  

The presents have been opened; the kids are playing with their electronic toys; the holiday table is being scavenged for left overs; and Christmas cookie crumbs are in every chair; sofa; and bed in the home.  So........settle down and read this special letter from an eight year old girl to your kids before they drift off to sleep on The Night After Christmas 2015.  If the kids are too young...save it for another Night after Christmas and enjoy Virginia's letter and response yourself.  We were all children not too long ago.....this Christmas you can recapture special memories in this essay to Virginia.

Editor's Note:  8 year old Virginia O'Hanlon wrote a letter to the editors of New York Sun and the quick response was printed as an unsigned Editorial in 1897.  The work of veteran newsman, Francis Pharcellus Church, has since become history's most reprinted newspaper editorial; appearing on part or whole in dozens of languages; in books; movies; other editorials; and no posters and stamps.

A letter to the Editor 1897:

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

NYC

The Editorial Response to Virginia

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; and 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 see Santa Claus....... 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 can 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, and romance can push aside that curtain and view and picture of 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.

Comments from Dr. DeForge

Thank you Virginia for your letter in 1897.....you have brought joy to the hearts of all children with your quest of the confirmation of Santa Claus.  Santa Claus is love!  If we believe, we can carry this love with us each an every day. THE LOVE brings with it a respect of the rights of others; elimination of discrimination because of faith or color of skin; and...... that same love encourages us to help someone each day in word and action.

If you believe you can look within yourself each night...... and review the past day before you reach deep sleep........and find the the faith, fancy, poetry, love, and romance of Santa Claus.

Dr. DeForge's welcomes comment to his blog at:

DonDeForge100@gmail.com or mail to his attention at

Silver Sands Veterinary Center

17 Seemans Lane

Milford, CT 06460