in 1897, virginia o'hanlon wrote this to the editorial page of the son. i'm 8 years old, some of my little friend says there is no santa claus. papa says if you see in the sun, it's some please tell me the truthsome there a santa claus? virginia got her answer from frances church, a former civil war correspondent and hardened journalist who had seen suffering and hopelessness up close, telling virginia to reject skepticism, small mindedness and joyless impeerism, church tells her, yes, virginia there is a santa claus. in 2011 it is easy to think of santa claus as a sim bop both of unrestrained commercialism. many think he is a dangerous myth, driving a debt despite national economic security and winding inequality, but let me make a case, believing in santa claus is a litmus test of americans' faith in our political institutions n 1897,