The true story of Santa Claus

But when you tell one lie you usually have to tell another; and right away the grownups were faced with that problem because the older children, those children who went to school, could read the writing on the presents.

They could see the words "From Santa" seemed to be written with the same hand that had written "From Mom and Dad" on the presents their parents put under the tree for them.

Furthermore, the presents from "Santa" were store-bought, and the older children could still remember when parents and others gave store-bought presents but Santa never did.

When the older children asked about this their parents would say, "Well, the truth is Santa is just for little girls and boys, and big children know Santa Claus doesn't really exist".

Well, while they might sob a little with this new and false news, the children believed the story their parents told them; and the children of 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1920--on up to this very year, have believed the same false story.

You know the story I mean, the false story that says Santa Claus is only for little boys and girls.

Now, of course, even the parents of today believe this false story because they were not even born in 1915 when this false story was first told; and they, too, were told this story when they were children, and believed it.

You see, if you tell the same false story year after year after year, after a time everyone believes it to be true.

But Santa Claus really exists. And if you want proof, have a Christmas with no war going on anyplace in the world and you'll see for yourself.

And you might want to know what Santa is doing now. Well, he's his same old self and I hear he is preparing a very special Christmas surprise to help boys and girls (and their parents, too) put an end to war forever so they can live happily ever after; but that's another story.

By Virgil Kret
December 25, 1980
St. Virgil