I believe...

   Today is Christmas Eve here in Texas, and I would like to take the time to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas.  As a gift to you I would like to present you with a reprint of the September 21, 1897 editorial of Francis Pharcellus Church of the New York Sun.  It is the response to a letter written by an 8 year old girl named Virginia.  I am sure you have all heard the editorial or at least part of it, but on this day it seems appropriate to print the whole editorial in honor of the season.  Like Mr. Church I still believe, do you?

   I now would like to present you with...

"Yes, Virginia There is a Santa Clause."

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 NINETY-FIFTH STREET.

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, 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.

Francis Pharcellus Church of the New York Sun

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Francis P. Church

  

         Merry Christmas to everyone everywhere. 

Welcome to the Season of Manic Depression...

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   Is it just me are do find yourself loving and dreading this time of year?

   I go from laughing and singing along with the radio or the muzak in the stores, to crying at the drop of a hat (or the airing of the Christmas commercials ).   I feel like I am on a roller coaster of highs and lows from mid November until January 3rd, when the post holiday blues set in.

   When I was a child the excitement just kept building right up to Christmas.  The only tears were when the misfit toys thought they were going to be left out of Christmas again, or when Frosty melted.  Oh and the tantrums we threw when we were finally made to go to sleep.  What child sleeps during Christmas, there is just too much to enjoy.

   When we were young, Christmas dragged getting here and all the gifts just appeared under the tree.  Mom, Dad, Grandparents and all the Aunts and Uncles loved the crayon pictures you drew and the hand prints in plaster .  Try getting by giving those as gifts now.

   As adults we know that the gifts have to be put under the tree, oh and the tree has to be bought as well.  The list of things to do gets longer and longer and time goes quicker and quicker.  The pressure seems to build because we want to provide our children with the Christmases we had or as we remember them.


   How on earth did my Mom get all the cards sent out, the house decorated, gifts bought and wrapped, the cookies made, plus get all of us to the Christmas shows at school and church.  I get tired just thinking about it.

   But mostly, when we were children the whole extended family on both sides got together during December to celebrate together.  Now a days everyone lives to far away and are too busy to get together.  There are also too many who no longer here.

  As adults we find ourselves yearning for the childlike wonder and magic of the season, but having the reasonable adult mind that keeps pulling back the damn curtain to revel the mechanical workings.  We find ourselves caught in the turbulent waters between magic and reality. 

  So do I still love Christmas ... you bet I do.  The magic is still there, just look in the eyes of a child or an elderly man or woman when they see a simple gift given with love.  I have lots of great memories to visit with this time of year, and more to make.  But I will always take time for the tears, it's just part of the season, and my way of saying I miss you and love you always to all those who can't be here.


Now get the tissue ready.... This is one of my all time favorite tearjerkers.

Christmas Carols...

   At this time of year, no matter where you go you hear the songs of the season.  So what type of Christmas Carols do you like?

Jazzy ...





Country ...





Traditional ...





Or do you like a more religious carol...






Or are you like me and love them all.

Christmas Time is Here...

   Christmas isn't Christmas with out seeing your favorite specials and movies.
One of my all time favorite cartoons is "A Charlie Brown Christmas".  The reason is Linus's explanation of what Christmas is.  Here it is.  Put on you warm holiday PJs fix yourself a cup of hot cocoa or eggnog and enjoy...





   What are your favorite Christmas special?  The antimated specials that remind you of Christmas as a child, the movies your family gathered around to watch, or the musical and varity specials. 
   What makes Christmas complete for you?

Christmas Countdown...

   I know, I know it isn't even Thanksgiving yet.  How can I be thinking of Christmas.  Well you see,  I have decided to add more stress to my life.  How?  Well if you look over to the right, you will see a Christmas countdown.

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   How will this add stress to my life?  Well since we are on such a fixed budget, we make all our Christmas gifts... or rather I crochet all our Christmas gifts.  I haven't taught Jack how yet.  But he does help me design and figure out colors.

by Mary Cassatt

   This countdown reminds me exactly how soon I have to have all the gloves, scarfs, hats, afghans, house shoes, washcloths, potholder and Christmas ornaments done.  Oh and design and draw a Christmas greeting to email to everyone.
   I am hoping the countdown will also remind me to pick up the hook and get busy.  Then I wont be crocheting 20 hours a day the last week before Christmas.

   Hey I can dream can't I....

  Okay, I have at 3 people down and only 12 or so more to go.  Now where did I put that pattern for the Santa Potholder...

Is this July or December...

    I am one of the poor unfortunate souls who worked and managed a retail store.  I loved meeting and helping people find the perfect thing for themselves or a loved one.  I was glad that I so impressed some people that they would come back and ask for me to help them or their friends.  The long hours I could handle most of the time.  What I dreaded and hated was... CHRISTMAS.
   It was enough to send me into nervous twitches and mental breakdowns.  All those people all demanding that they are first.  They are better than everyone else and you should get out of their way because they are coming. ...And that was in the parking lot.
   I have always love Christmas and all things about the holidays.  The decorations, the lights, the songs, the smiles on peoples faces.  But when you work in a retail store at the MALL.  You get to the point that you dread the months of November and December. 
   The stores are all decked out in their finest.  The children of all ages are wide eyed and looking for Santa's place.

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The smells, the excitement, the sales and special gifts are great.  But by the time you fight the traffic and find a parking place you have had enough. 
   During the Christmas season parking is at a premium and unless you open the store, it will take you an extra 30 minutes to find a spot.  That is if the mall hasn't decreed that all employees must park 2 or 3 blocks away and wait for the bus or walk.  And of course the store is now open extended hours so you either come in at 6am or leave at 1pm.  If you are a manager you sometimes do both.  You are on your feet all day, because even on your break there is standing room only at the food court.  Your lucky to make it to the counter and get a drink before it time to run back to the store.  After a long day the last thing you want to do is hike to your car.  My poor feet ache now just writing this.
   When I left retail sales I promised myself I would never go to the mall at Christmas.  So far I have kept that promise.  Do I miss the decorations... No,  how could I when the stores start putting them up in  September, or earlier.

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   Now this year the Christmas sales are starting this weekend!!!!  In JULY. 
   Oh no...there goes that twitch in my eye. 
   

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