Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus

Eight-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon wrote a letter to the editor of New York's Sun, and the quick response was printed as an unsigned editorial Sept. 21, 1897. The work of veteran newsman Francis Pharcellus Church has since become history's most reprinted newspaper editorial, appearing in part or whole in dozens of languages in books, movies, and other editorials, and on posters and stamps.




"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.

"115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET."





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 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 eternal 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 they 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 may 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, fancy, 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 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.

Snowman Soup

Snowman Soup Craft


1 package hot chocolate mix
3 Hershey Kisses
10 mini-marshmallows
1 candy cane

Place ingredients in a ziplock bag, mug, or jar and attatch a label.
You can print it onto a avery sticker sheet, or punch a hole in the
corner and tie it on with some pretty ribbon. The possibilites are endless! :)
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Warm the hearts of good little boys and girls with a packet of Snowman Soup!

Easy enough for children to make, Snowman Soup is perfect for stocking stuffers, office gifts, Secret Santa presents or 12 Days of Christmas gifts.

Snowman Soup Recipe:
Printable Snowman Soup Bag Topper Assemble in a gift bag, gift mug or small zipper food storage bag:

•1 individual packet hot chocolate mix
•2-3 chocolate kiss candies
•10-15 mini-marshmallows
•small candy cane

Attach free printable Snowman Soup Gift Tag or Snowman Soup Bag Topper and share a warming gift!

Or, hand-write this poem and attach to gift:

Snowman Soup

Was told you've been real good this year.
Always glad to hear it!
With freezing weather drawing near,
You'll need to warm the spirit.

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Snowman Soup

"Was told you've been real good this year.
Always glad to hear it! With freezing weather drawing near,
you'll need to warm the spirit. So, here's a little Snowman Soup,
complete with stirring stick. Add hot water and sip it slow, it's sure to do the trick"

Add a message on the back of the card for directions:
Mix 3 heaping tablespoons with hot water and enjoy !
If you use enough for 2 then add a message noting there is enough for 2 mugs of soup to enjoy or share with a friend.
This was an easy and inexpensive treat for craft shows, small gifts, etc. Hope you enjoy !!

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Snowman Soup for Gifts
Snowman Soup Recipe I
I have seen several varieties of Snowman soup on the internet.
I buy my mugs at the dollar store ($1 each). Wash them well.
I got approximately. 12 gifts out of this recipe.
4 cups powdered coffee creamer
1 cup cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
12 oz milk chocolate chips
6 oz semisweet chocolate chips
2 Tbsp.. vanilla powder (optional)
Miniature marshmallows

Candy canes (wrapped) or cinnamon sticks.
Mix all ingredients well. Place 3 heaping tablespoons per
serving in a small plastic bag (I used enough for 2 servings)
and close with a twist tie. Place candy cane or cinnamon stick in mug.
Place plastic bag in bottom of mug then place a paper cupcake liner on top of bag.
Fill with approx. 15 mini marshmallows. Place filled mug into a small plastic
bag or wrap with plastic wrap and tie at top (I found a mug fits well into a Glad
sandwich bag if you line the handle up with the corner side).
Decorate with curly ribbon, etc. Attach following on a card:


Snowman Soup
"Was told you've been real good this year.
Always glad to hear it! With freezing weather drawing near,
you'll need to warm the spirit. So, here's a little Snowman Soup,

complete with stirring stick. Add hot water and sip it slow, it's sure to do the trick"
Add a message on the back of the card for directions:
Mix 3 heaping tablespoons with hot water and enjoy !
If you use enough for 2 then add a message noting there
is enough for 2 mugs of soup to enjoy or share with a friend.
This was an easy and inexpensive treat for craft shows, small gifts, etc. Hope you enjoy !!
By Hvnlyhills from Peebles, OH

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Snowman Soup II

This comes from somewhere, it was sent to me. If its yours, let me know and I'll put your name in here!

1 package Hot Chocolate Mix
3 Hershey Kisses or Hugs
10 miniature marshmallows
1 Peppermint Candy Cane

Place all of the above into a new mug, then cover or wrap with cellophane, decorate and attach the following poem...

"Was told you've been real good this year, Always glad to hear it
With freezing weather drawing near
You'll need to warm the Spirit


So here's a little Snowman Soup
Complete with a stirring stick
Add hot water, sip it slow
It's sure to do the trick!"

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Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygxvN3nex2M

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Christmas in June

Well it's not Christmas but these little fairy  ornaments are so cute I thought I would share.

These were sent to me years ago.

Materials needed:

Aleene's® Platinum BondTM Glass & Bead Slick Surfaces Adhesive
Miscellaneous
Acrylic paint: pink, red and black
Bead, large round red
Brush, small
Chenille stem
Christmas ball ornament, 1” and 3”
Cup or bowl, shallow
Micro beads, silver
Needle and thread
Plastic bead, large green flower shape
Seed beads
Silk flower, large white daisy
Silk ivy, small


Instructions
For best results, please read all instructions before beginning project. Refer to photo for color and design placement.
1. Remove hangers from ornaments.
2. Paint a circle of pink acrylic paint on the small ball and let dry. Mix a small amount of red into the pink to make cheek color and add to face.
3. Add a red mouth and black eyes.
4. Pour micro beads into shallow cup.
5. Squeeze a small dot of adhesive onto large ball and dip into micro beads. As the beads adhere to the glue, press with finger to flatten and re-dip to fill in. Repeat this process one dot at a time, covering the bottom half of the ball with dots. Let dry.
6. Add a hanger with the chenille stem by making a loop and gluing across top and around neck of ornament. Glue in place and let dry.
7. Pull apart the daisy and discard any plastic parts. Use two layers of the largest daisy petals and cut a hole large enough to fit over the neck of the ornament. Glue into place. Let dry. Glue ivy leaves under petals.
8. Use the small petals from the center of the flower to make hair, turning one upside down on top of head, and then two right side up. Hold in place until glue is set. Add green flower bead and red round bead to the center of the top petals. Let dry.
9. Glue head in place and let dry.
10. String seed beads onto thread about 1-1/2” and wrap around neck and glue in place.
 
This year I think I will try the chiffon flowers to make a more delicate look.

Not Chirstmas Already ?

Now I know we are a few months away from the Christmas holiday .

But these are such  lovely things to look at.

A detailed picture tutorial with a few others is found  HERE

Wonderful paper photos and ideas

http://quillcottage.blogspot.com/