I Believe

Again, I know, I'm off. Whatevs. Thomas found this today, and it was so sweet, I couldn't not share it. See, in Ireland in 1911, a little brother and sister, 7 year-old Fred and 10 year-old Hannah, wrote a letter to Santa Claus. One can only assume that 13 year-old big sister Lily was in her non-believer phase.

Photo Credit: Irish Times

Like most children, Fred and Hannah had a few specific items in mind. They politely asked Santa to please leave a babydoll, a "waterproof" (raincoat) with a hood, gloves, and sweets. They also hoped for a shiny penny and sixpence. The children placed the letter, along with some drawings and a good luck message, on a shelf inside their chimney.

The letter was found in 1992.

Understandably, Santa would have had to have left the letter behind, as his sleigh is pretty well packed on Christmas Eve. I'm sure he enjoyed the letter very much, though. What's amazing is the fact that the letter was found almost entirely intact, and only barely singed after being subjected to 81 years of wintertime fires. It stands now as a symbol of the innocence and wonder of childhood. I like to think a little North Pole magic helped it survive all those decades.

Speaking of the magic of being a child at Christmas, I'd like to leave you today with one of my favorite Santa letters--one that was not addressed to Santa, but to the editor of the New York Sun. The world is so "me"-oriented these days, and the real spirit of the season--kindness, love, and generosity--is more often than not overlooked in the pursuit of that perfect toy, or that fantastic deal. Sometimes, we need to step back, take a breath, and remind ourselves what really matters. As long as we can remember that simple adage, "'Tis Better To Give Than To Receive," then yes, Virginia, there will be a Santa Claus.

Photo Credit: Newseum.org

By the way, the Macy's Believe campaign, where for every Santa letter dropped off at a Macy's store or Macy's online, one dollar was donated to the Make-A-Wish foundation, reached their goal of one million dollars. That, right there, is reason to believe in Santa, in magic, and in miracles. Merry Christmas, everyone!