In the weeks ahead, you’re sure to be reminded of an iconic story about an 8-year-old girl who wrote a letter to a newspaper asking about the existence of Santa Claus. You know the one—Virginia O’Hanlon’s inquiry to the New York Sun in 1897. Her friends had claimed Santa wasn’t real, and she wanted the truth. Encouraged by her Papa, who told her, “If you see it in The Sun, then it is so,” Virginia wrote her heartfelt letter.
Moved by her question, editor Francis Pharcellus Church responded with an editorial that has become one of the most beloved writings about Santa Claus. In it, Church famously wrote:
“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.”
Church explained that Santa Claus embodies the spirit of giving and the wonder of childhood. While some things may not be seen, he argued, they can still be real and deeply impactful.
What Church’s essay doesn’t mention, however, is that Santa Claus was indeed a real person. The legend of Santa Claus, or Sinterklaas, traces back to Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of children. Tomorrow, December 6, we celebrate Saint Nicholas Day to honor his life and legacy.
Saint Nicholas, the Bishop of Myra (modern-day Turkey), died in 343 and is remembered for his generosity and compassion. A participant in the Council of Nicaea, which shaped the Nicene Creed, Nicholas was a wealthy man who gave secretly to those in need. One enduring story tells how he helped a poor man with three daughters who could not afford dowries, thus saving them from being sold into slavery. Nicholas threw gold coins through the window, which landed in shoes set by the fireplace—a story that inspired our tradition of leaving gifts in shoes or stockings.
(For more on Christmas folklore and traditions, join us next Thursday, December 11, at 7:00 PM for Theology and Thoughts on Christmas Traditions.)
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. But more importantly, Virginia, there is Jesus Christ. Saint Nicholas—the real Santa Claus—believed in Him, and you should, too.
Tomorrow, as we observe St. Nicholas Day, let us look forward to all the goodness and hope embodied in the celebration of Christmas. Join us for worship on the Second Sunday of Advent, December 8, at 9:30 AM, at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 36 E. John Street, Lindenhurst.
Blessings,
Pastor Marc
