Yes, Virgina. There WAS a Santa Clause.

I was walking into my local gas station yesterday morning. To my right was a white van with an older gentleman standing there getting his keys out. He was a little taller than me with a full white beard and a head of white hair. He was dressed in jeans, a sweater and a jacket. Nothing to write home about.
To my left was a dad with a little girl around three. She had black hair and was very full of energy. As the door to the store opened, I heard the little girl squeal. I turned to see what the commotion was. The little girl was running up the elderly man, saying "hi, Santa, hi". I stifled a little grin, and watched a very flustered elderly man and dad attempt to make the best of a very strange situation. They both did admirably well. The elderly man was a sweetheart and the dad smiled a great big thank you. After "Santa" left, the little girl was still jumping up and down, so excited about seeing Santa at the gas station.
This scene stayed with me through out the weekend. As I was contemplating it, I thought about the Walmat incident from earlier in the week, where Walmart had taken down the decorated Christmas Trees. A rumor circulated it was because someone had complained.  According to Walmart, no one had complained. It was a way of helping local communities by donating the trees to local schools. That may be true, this time. But what happens if someone does complain? Would they take them down then?
We are told in business and retail establishments, we must say Happy Holidays to keep from offending someone. Now, I am not interested in offending people but I have the right to say Merry Christmas. I am not offended by people celebrating Hanukkah or any of the other holidays in December, why should me celebrating Christmas offend them? We are so close to losing the Christ part of Christmas because it offends people. What happens if we lose all of Christmas because someone was offended?
Yes, Virginia, there was a Santa Clause. We use to tell stories about him bringing presents to all the good little girls and boys. Oh, yes and on that same day, we celebrated our Savior's birth, whose gift was eternal life to all who believed, good or bad.