Is There a Santa Claus?

Kenneth R. "Ken" Plum

        In 1897 Francis P. Church wrote for the New York Sun what was to become one of the most famous editorials ever written.  His editorial responded to a letter from 8-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon who had written to ask for the truth as to whether there was a Santa Claus.  Her father had told her that if she read it in the Sun it would be so.

        Church told her and the world in his editorial, "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."  (www.newseum.org/yesvirginia)

        For more than a half century in the former Miller and Rhoads department store in Richmond and continuing to today at the Richmond Children's Museum there is a tradition of having an appearance of the "real" Santa Claus.  Looking just like the pictures of Santa Claus, the men who played this role over the years had natural white beards and mustaches and a real big tummy.  Through a unique microphone and ear plug arrangement with the Snow Queen who lined the children up to see Santa, the real Santa Claus called the children by name.  Generations of families including most recently our grandchildren Emma and Conrad make the trek sometimes from hundreds of miles to see the real Santa Claus (Miller and Rhoads Legendary Santa Claus by Kristin Terbush Thrower, and Christmas at Miller and Rhoads:  Memories of a Snow Queen by Donna Strother Deckens, both available from amazon.com).

        Just down the street from the Children's Museum, at the State Capitol there are many adults asking the same question Virginia O'Hanlon asked as to whether or not there is a Santa Claus and does he reside in Richmond.  The annual General Assembly is about to get underway, and the news about Virginia's declining budget revenue at a rate not seen in 70 years is enough to make one hope that there is a Santa Claus.  The legislature is faced with having to cut billions more from an already reduced to the bones budget.  Some programs and services are likely to disappear.  An attempt will be made to shift more costs to localities.  The session will not have any resemblance to a happy holiday scene.  After all, you must have been good for Santa Claus to come see you.  Go to my website, www.kenplum.com, and complete my survey of what actions you think the General Assembly should take.

        In the meantime, Jane and I wish for you and your family the love and generosity that Santa Claus represents during the holiday season and throughout the New Year.