In defense of Santa

To the editor: “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 your life its highest beauty and joy.” Here we are, 107 years after those words were first published, having to explain the “jolly old elf” to yet another generation. A generation that hypocritically laments the institutionalized commercialization of the holiday season while allowing political correctness to trump common sense concerning the spirit of our celebrations. I understand and support the concept of separation of church and state. Those who choose to exercise their right to celebrate Dec. 25th as Christmas do in fact celebrate a Christian holiday as the birth of Christ. Now I’m no theologian but as far as I know Santa had nothing to do with that event at all. Santa may be mass-marketed as an icon to create public perception that he represents Christmas; however, if correctness is the issue at hand, then I would submit that the correct fact in the matter is that he has absolutely no religious affiliation. It’s just Santa-phobia. Yet a minority of zealots, exercising their right to make a point, find it in their hearts to take issue with an affirmative symbol that represents nothing more than the spirit of a season where, just maybe, we might wish for a little peace on earth and goodwill toward our fellow man. Our children will inherit from this generation of adults a world filled with uncertainties about the future. Of all the many tribulations we saddle our children with, I doubt any child will be diminished in some way by an encounter with Santa nor will they be augmented by the substitution of Frosty (boy, this all sounds dumb). While the PTA’s decision on some obtuse level may be correct, it is the wrong decision. John Johansen Bellvale