Episode 508 || Yes, Virginia

Summary

From the Front Porch: Episode 508 || Yes, Virginia

Released on December 19, 2024 | Host: Annie Jones

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Introduction

In Episode 508 of From the Front Porch, hosted by Annie Jones of The Bookshelf in Thomasville, Georgia, the focus shifts to an annual beloved tradition: the reading of the timeless editorial, "Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus." This episode delves into the history of the editorial, its personal significance to Annie and her family, and culminates in a heartfelt reading by her father, Chris Butterworth.

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Background of "Yes, Virginia"

Annie begins by providing a comprehensive background on Francis P. Church's iconic editorial. Written in 1897 and first published in the New York Sun, the editorial became an immediate sensation and a cherished holiday staple, being reprinted annually until the newspaper ceased operations in 1949.

• Historical Context:

  • "Francis P. Church, the son of a Baptist minister, had a distinguished career covering the Civil War for the New York Times before joining the New York Sun. His role often involved addressing controversial and theological questions, making him the perfect voice to respond to Virginia O'Hanlon's heartfelt letter." [00:45]

• Virginia O'Hanlon's Letter:

  • Virginia, a young girl, questioned the existence of Santa Claus after hearing skeptical views from her less fortunate peers. Seeking clarity, she penned a letter to the Sun, which led to Church's eloquent and enduring response.

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Personal Reflections and Family Tradition

Annie shares a touching personal connection to the editorial, recounting how it was a staple in her childhood. Her father would read the editorial aloud to her and her brother each Christmas morning, embedding its messages of belief, love, and wonder into their lives.

• Impact on Annie:

  • "Church's words were immensely comforting as belief and doubt began to mingle in my brain." [02:15]

• The Significance of Tradition:

  • Over the years, the reading of "Yes, Virginia" became synonymous with the Christmas season at The Bookshelf, symbolizing hope and the preservation of childlike faith.

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Reading of "Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus" by Chris Butterworth

In a special tribute prompted by listener Jennifer, Annie's father, Chris Butterworth, lends his voice to perform the reading of the editorial. His rendition brings a personal and heartfelt dimension to the classic piece.

• Notable Quotes from the Reading:

  • "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist." [04:45]

  • "To make tolerable this existence, we should have no enjoyment except in sense and light. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished." [05:30]

  • "Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders that are unseen and unseeable in the world. You 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." [06:15]

  • "No Santa Claus. Thank God he lives and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, maybe ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the hearts of children." [07:00]

Chris's reading serves as both a nostalgic callback and a reaffirmation of the values the editorial champions, emphasizing the importance of belief, imagination, and the intangible joys that enrich our lives.

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Conclusion

Annie concludes the episode by directing listeners to access the full editorial through the provided show notes and invites them to engage with The Bookshelf's offerings both in-store and online. She also encourages listeners to follow the bookstore's daily updates on Instagram and to support the podcast through reviews and Patreon pledges.

• Final Thoughts:
  • "In this season of brightness and busyness, taking a moment to reflect on such timeless messages can bring extra comfort and joy." [07:15]

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Additional Information

• Purchase the Books:

  • Available online at bookshelftville.com

• Follow on Instagram:

  • @bookshelftville

• Support the Podcast:

  • Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or support via Patreon at patreon.com/fromthefrontporch

From the Front Porch continues to be a warm and engaging platform for discussions on books, small business, and Southern life, fostering a sense of community and shared stories.

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Special thanks to Studio D Podcast Production for their outstanding work and to the executive producers for their unwavering support.

Transcript

[Annie Jones]

Your message amplified.

[Chris Butterworth]

Ready to share your message with the world?

[Annie Jones]

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[Chris Butterworth]

My church too.

[Annie Jones]

I love it. I really do. Welcome to from the Front Porch, a conversational podcast about books, small business, and life in the South. I'm Annie Jones, owner of the Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in beautiful downtown Thomasville, Georgia, and this week it's time for our annual reading of yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus. It's the busiest and brightest time of year at the Bookshelf, and for you too, I'm guessing. So I wanted to take a minute to slow down. For the past few years I've recorded my reading of yes, Virginia, and perhaps unintentionally, it's become a From the Front Porch annual tradition. It just wouldn't be the Christmas season without it. Here's a little background Francis P. Church's editorial yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus was an immediate sensation, becoming one of the most famous editorials ever written. It first appeared in the New York sun in 1897 and was reprinted annually until 1949, when the newspaper went out of business 36 years after her original letter was printed. Virginia O'Hanlon recalled the events that prompted her letter. Quite naturally, she said, I believed in Santa Claus, for he had never disappointed me. But when less fortunate little boys and girls said there wasn't any Santa Claus, I was filled with doubts. I asked my father, and he was a little evasive on the subject. It was a habit in our family that whenever any doubts came up as to how to pronounce a word or some question of historical fact was in doubt, we wrote to the Question and Answer column in the Sun. Father would always say, if you see it in the son, it is so. And that settled the matter. And so Virginia sat down and wrote her parents favorite newspaper. Her letter found its way into the hands of a veteran editor, Francis P. Church. The son of a Baptist minister, Church had covered the Civil War for the New York Times and had worked on the New York sun for 20 years, most recently as an anonymous editorial writer. When controversial subjects had to be tackled on the editorial page, especially those dealing with theology, the assignments were usually given to Church. His answer to Virginia's simple, innocent question is one of the most beautiful, true things I've ever read. Growing up the editorial would appear annually in our local paper, the Tallahassee Democrat. It's a tradition I hope still happens now, though I'm honestly not sure. My dad would read it aloud to me and my brother each year, and then as I got older, I'd read it for myself, finding Church's words immensely comforting as belief and doubt began to mingle in my brain. This year because I think we're all in need of a little extra comfort. And prompted by podcast listener Jennifer hi, Jennifer. I thought it might be extra special for my dad to read the letter to you, just like he read it for me and my brother over the breakfast table each year. So without further ado, my dad, Chris Butterworth, Reading Yes, Virginia.

[Chris Butterworth]

Dear Editor, I am eight years old. Some of my little friends say that there is no Santa Claus. Papa says if you see it in the sun, it is so. Please tell me the truth. Is there a Santa Claus? 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 intellectual 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 our life its highest beauty and joy. Alas, how dreary it would be 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 light. 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 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 aren't there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders that are unseen and unseeable in the world. You tear apart the babies 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 supernatural, beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else as real and abiding. No Santa Claus. Thank God he lives and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, maybe 10 times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the hearts of children Written by Francis p. Church in 1897.

[Annie Jones]

Thank you dad. You can find a copy of the editorial in its entirety through the link in our show notes Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, friends. This week I'm Reading a Bit Much by Lindsay Rush from the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of the Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in Thomasville, Georgia. You can follow the bookshelf's daily happenings on Instagram @bookshelftville and all the bookstore from today's episode can be purchased online through our store website bookshelf thomasville.com a full transcript of today's podcast episode can be found at. From the frontporchpodcast.com Special thanks to Studio D Podcast Production for production of from the Front Porch and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations. Our executive producers of today's episode are Kate Tammy Tidwell, Chantal Carle, Kate O'Connell, Kristin May, Linda Lee Drost, Jean Queens, Amanda Wickham, Martha Stacy Lau, Chanta Combs, Stephanie Dean, Ashley Farrell, Nicole Marcy, Wendy.

[Chris Butterworth]

Jenkins, Lori Johnson, Susan Mullings.

[Annie Jones]

Thank you all for your support of from the Front Porch. If you'd like to support from the Front Porch, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your input helps us make the show even better and helps us reach new listeners. All you have to do is open up the podcast app on your phone. Look for from the Front Porch, scroll down until you see, write a review and tell us what you think. Or, if you're so inclined, support us. Over on Patreon, where we have three levels of support. Each level has an amazing number of benefits like bonus content, access to live events, discounts and giveaways. Just go to patreon.com from the front Porch. We're so grateful for you and we look forward to meeting back here next week.