Yes, Virginia

"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 [grown-ups] or children's are little.

"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! ...The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor [grown-ups] can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there.

"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 [grown-up]... that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view... the beauty and glory beyond. Is it real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else so 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 P. Church, 1897

"Christmas allows the child slumbering in each of our souls the chance to be reborn every year, awakening a sense of joy and wonder that even eleven months of doubt, derision, or discouragement can't snuff out. All that is required of us is that we believe."
--Simple Abundance

Things that I am thankful for today:

1. The ability to just be a participant at church today!
2. Hot tea in a Christmas mug.
3. Sandy playing the harp and singing, "Mary, Did You Know?"
4. Peter's "Holy Night" solo.
5. The Sunday School class building a Nativity Scene out of Legos!
6. Cookie baking is almost done! Woo-hoo!
7. The hubby wrapped some presents and decorated cookies!
8. Pizza for dinner. (And I'm not sick! Wow...)
9. A full-fledged under the cover nap!
10. Fresh snow falling!