Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?

"I will hold Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year." - Charles Dickens .

Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?

Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus!

A famous letter from Virgina O'Hanlon to the editorial of The New York Sun, first printed in 1897.We take pleasure in answering thus prominently the communication below, expressing at the same time our great gratification that its faithful author is numbered among the friends of The Sun:

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

Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except 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 external 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 you 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 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, 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 lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10 times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

From the desk of T. Boone Pickens: Will You Help?

From the desk of T. Boone Pickens: Will You Help?

T. Boone Pickens has a good program that will help all of us http://www.pickensplan.com/districtleaders/, if you are interested in being a District Leader for your Congressional District, email us at myenergy@pickensplan.com (please include your name, state and Congressional District in the body of your email). Pickens Plan District Leaders will take action in the following ways:

Be the point of contact for the official Congressional District group page on Push.PickensPlan.com.

Work with other members of the New Energy Army in your Congressional District to sign up 500 new members by Inauguration Day.

Host meet-ups with other members of the Army in your Congressional District to discuss ways you can take action and Push the Pickens Plan.

Get an op-ed or letter to the editor placed in your local newspaper telling everyone why you support the Pickens Plan.

If your Governor, U.S. Senators and U.S. Representative have not yet signed the Pickens Plan Pledge , then ask them to sign today!

From the desk of T. Boone Pickens
Boone here,

We’re six weeks out, and it feels like Inauguration Day is right around the corner. One thing’s for sure: our efforts are really starting to pay off. Let me give you a couple of examples.

Yesterday in New York City the Pickens Plan got another big endorsement. This time it was from the American Lung Association. Think about that. Here we’ve been talking about how developing renewable energies and using cleaner burning natural gas is good for our economy and creates jobs. Come to find out the Pickens Plan is good for your health! I love it. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg was also on hand. He’s been a real leader in using renewables and compressed natural gas in his city. I’m glad to have him on our team.

I also want to bring up my visit to Washington last week where I met with the Obama Transition Team. Like everyone else, I’ve been impressed with the way the President-elect has been preparing for his new administration. My father used to tell me, “A fool with a plan can outsmart a genius with no plan any day of the week.” Let me tell you: the Obama team is smart, and they have a plan. The President-elect wants to get us off Middle Eastern oil in 10 years. There’s only one way he can do that, which is why I’m confident that the Pickens Plan will play an important part in the stimulus package he and his team are crafting right now.

I know President-elect Obama is ready to make some big changes. Let’s make sure Congress is too. The Army is 1.37 million strong. Now we need to get ready in every Congressional district, and I need your help.

Over the next couple days you'll be hearing from Team Pickens about the District Leaders project - I need members of the Army to play a leadership role in their own Congressional districts. Click here to learn more and to sign up to volunteer.

I want you to join me in leading the New Energy Army as we take the Pickens Plan to DC next year!

Exactly one month ago, you made history by giving all Americans a real opportunity for change.

Now it's time to start preparing and working for change in our communities. On December 13th and 14th, supporters are coming together in every part of the country to reflect on what we've accomplished and plan the future of this movement. Your ideas and feedback will be collected and used to guide this movement in the months and years ahead.

Join your friends and neighbors -- sign up to host or attend a Change is Coming house meeting near you.

Since the election, the challenges we face -- and our responsibility to take action -- have only gotten more urgent.

You can connect with fellow supporters, make progress on the issues you care about, and help shape the future of your community and our country.

Learn what you can do now to support President-elect Obama's agenda for change and continue to make a difference in your community.

Take the first important step by hosting or attending a Change is Coming house meeting. Sign up right now:http://my.barackobama.com/changeiscoming

To get our country back on track, it will take all of us working together.Barack and Joe have a clear agenda and an unprecedented opportunity for change. But they can't do it alone.

Will you join us at a house meeting and help plan the next steps for this movement?

Keep the Faith,
James Everitt