HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS

“Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus”

The story goes like this...

Eight-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon wrote a letter to the editor of New York’s Sun, a big newspaper of it’s day, and the quick response was printed as an unsigned editorial on Sept. 21, 1897.

The work of veteran newsman Francis Pharcellus Church has become history’s most reprinted newspaper editorial, appearing in part or whole in dozens of languages in books, movies, 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? Signed…

Virginia O’Hanlon

115 West 95th Street

Virginia,

Your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except 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.

And that, dear readers, is the truth.

SANTA SIGHTINGS

• Northwest Arkansas Mall, Fayetteville. Santa’s hours, through Dec. 24 are: Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. (break from 2-2:30 and 5:30-6 p.m.) and Sundays, noon to 6 p.m. (break from 3-3:30 p.m.) • Pet Pictures with Santa at the NWA Mall: Dec. 4th & 11th, 6-8 p.m. Bring your fur babies to pose with St. Nick! • Pinnacle Hills Promenade Mall, Rogers, near Food Pavilion. • Pet Nights: Dec, 3,10, and 17, 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. Holiday PJ Day: Dec. 6, all day. Ugly Sweater Day: December 13, all day. • Santa’s Wonderland now through Dec. 24 at Bass Pro Shops, Rogers. Free photo with Santa, crafts, games and activities. • Story Time with Santa at Pinnacle Hills Promenade, Tuesday, Dec.

4, 6 p.m. Children will have the opportunity to enjoy holiday stories read by Santa with Santa’s favorite snacks, milk and cookies! Children may also have their picture taken with Santa. • Breakfast with Santa, Saturday, Dec. 8, from 8 -10 a.m. First United Methodist Church, 201 NW 2nd St. Bentonville. Enjoy breakfast of pancakes and sausage with Santa, and free crafts. Tickets $6/adults, $4 kids 10 and younger. Pictures with Santa $5. • Santa will be at the Bentonville Community Center for pictures from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 8. Choir music, refreshments, and fun will be had. Event is free to members / $5 for non-members. • Santa will also visit The Walmart Museum on the Bentonville Square. Santa’s hours: Thursday, Dec. 6 and Monday, Dec. 10 from 5-8 p.m., and Saturday, Dec. 22 from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Free and open to the public.

ICE SKATING

• Indoors, at The Jones Center for Families, Springdale. Open all year. A Merry and Bright Christmas Show on ice will be at the Jones Center on Dec. 8. • Outdoors, at the Lawrence Plaza Ice Rink, Bentonville. Open through Jan. 21. Special holiday Skate-A-Long and screening of A Christmas Story on Dec. 15. Skate rental $5. Admission $3 if you have your own skates. Plus kids who drop off their letters to Santa at the Plaza before Dec. 12 will get a letter back from Santa before Christmas.

CHRISTMAS PARADES

• The Rogers Christmas Parade Friday, Dec. 7, downtown Rogers, 201 S.

1st St. 7-9 p.m. The 2018 Christmas parade includes music and floats. This year’s theme is Simply Christmas. • Bentonville Christmas Parade, Saturday, Dec. 8. Parade starts at 10 a.m. The route: From the fire station, up Main to the Square. It turns left on 2nd street and ends on the corner near Preacher’s Son. The theme: Movies on Main Street.

HO-HO-HOLIDAY SHOPPING

• Wampus Wonderland and Nerd Prom, Indie craft show and event. Dec. 7-8, Hilton Garden Inn, Fayetteville. • NWA Holiday Geek Market, a gathering of unique and geeky gifts. Dec 7-9, Washington County Fairgrounds, Fayetteville. • Holiday Market at the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks, Sat. Dec. 8, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Shop the fine art market and support local artists. Admission to the garden free on this day. • Member Double Discount Days, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Dec. 14-17. Members enjoy 20% off in the Museum Store. Free gift wrap and custom calligraphy gift tags on December 15. • Winter Wonderland NWA, Benton County Fairgrounds, Dec. 15-16. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Handcrafted and unique gifts, plus a free Christmas workshop for kids. Pictures with Santa, food trucks on site. • Holiday Gift Market, Walton Arts Center, through Dec. 16. M-F, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., also one hour before and during Walton Arts Center holiday performances. Featuring hand-crafted gifts from Northwest Arkansas’ artists.

FA LA LA: MUSIC, MOVIES AND THEATRE

• Singing Men of Arkansas Home for Christmas concert, Sunday, Dec. 2, at 3 p.m., Springdale High School Pat Walker theatre, tickets at singingmenofarkansas.org • Wackiest Tackiest Christmas, Fort Smith Little Theatre, Dec. 6-8, 7:30 p.m. Carolers, creative comedy and Christmas cheer. Info at fslt.org • Holiday movie at the Victory Theatre, Rogers. Saturday, Dec. 8, “Elf.” 2 - 4 p.m. Info at mainstreetrogers.com • ‘Tis the Season, Winter Chorale Concert, Arts Center of the Ozarks, Springdale. Saturday, Dec 8, 7:30 p.m. acozarks.org • Holiday concert at the Shiloh Museum, Springdale, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2 p.m. Students from the Will Bush Violin Studio in Springdale will perform Christmas hymns and carols, fiddle tunes, and classical music of the season on violin, viola, cello, and guitar. • The Nutcracker performed by The Northwest Arkansas Regional Dance Company. Dec. 8 at 7:00 p.m. and Dec. 9 at 2:00 p.m. at Rogers High School. • Handel’s Messiah Sing Along, Bella Vista Community Church, Sunday, Dec. 9, 3 p.m. You are the chorus in this community gathering, no rehearsals. • It’s a Wonderful Life, Audio Theatre presentation, Arts Center of the Ozarks, Springdale. Dec. 13, 14

& 15, 7:30 p.m. A radio theatre re-enactment of the beloved story. • Christmas with the Arkansas Philharmonic Orchestra, Arend Arts Center, Bentonville. Saturday, Dec. 15, 7 p.m. and Sunday Dec. 16, 3 p.m. Festive musical fun for the whole family. • A Very SoNA Christmas, Walton Arts Center, Saturday, Dec. 15, 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. Featuring the SoNA Singers, regional high school choirs, and special guest soloists. • The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Arkansas Public Theatre, Rogers. Dec. 14-16, 20-23. A hilarious Christmas classic for the whole family. Tickets and info at arkansaspublictheatre.org • The Snowman: A Family Concert presented by Walton Arts Center and Symphony of Northwest Arkansas, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2-4 p.m. A special screening of the film, with the score brought to life by SoNA musicians. Tickets and info at waltonartscenter.org. • The Polar Express, Walton Arts Center, Friday, Dec. 21, 7:00 p.m. Wear your PJs to watch the movie. Hot chocolate bar included in $10 ticket price.

FESTIVE ACTIVITIES

• Children’s Christmas Train ride, now through December 23. Bring your children to ride on the A & M Railroad, from the Depot in Springdale. Vintage passenger cars will each be decorated for the season and include “Holiday Express” trains “Pajama Trains” and “Holiday Pizza Express” trains. See full train schedule at www.amrailroad.com

• 20th Annual Winter Dreams Tour of Homes, Sunday Dec. 2, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tour beautifully decorated homes in Washington and Benton counties. Tickets ($20) will be available for sale at the door or online at juniorleaguenwa.org/winterdreams • Brightwater NWA Art of Meals with

Chef Lindsey Hardin, Dec. 7, 6 - 8 p.m. Vegan Holiday Treats: Learn how to make dairy free, gluten free treats using alternative sweeteners, and quality, local ingredients. More info at brightwater.org

• Live Walk-through Nativity, Ozark Adventist Academy, Gentry. Friday, Dec. 14, 6-9 p.m., Saturday Dec. 15, 3-6 p.m. ozarkacademy.org

• Our Lady of Guadalupe Play and Pilgrimage. St. Raphael Church, Springdale. Play: Saturday, Dec. 8, 5 p.m and 7 p.m. Pilgrimage, Sunday, Dec. 9, noon – 3 p.m. with mass to follow. (479) 756-6711.

• Our Lady of Guadalupe Procession and Mass. St. Vincent de Paul Church, Rogers. Wednesday, Dec. 12 procession 7 p.m. followed by rosary, music, entertainment and mass at midnight. (479) 636-4020.

• Las Posadas. St. Raphael Church, Springdale. Monday, Dec. 17 – Friday, Dec. 21. Las Posadas will be held each night (except Dec. 18) at 7 p.m. in St. Raphael Hall. (479) 756-6711.

• La Pastorela. St. Raphael Church, Springdale. Saturday, Dec. 22. 7 p.m. Las pastorelas are plays, which originated in Mexico, that tell the story of the shepherds following the star of Bethlehem.

• Culinary Insights: Holiday Entertaining, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Wednesday, December 12, 7-9 p.m. Let the experts guide you in pairing tea and sandwiches, port, champagne, truffles and more. • Hand Lettering Workshop, Crystal Bridges, Friday, Dec. 14, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Learn the basics of hand-lettering in this fun card-making workshop that pairs wine with an art project.

• Winter Break Wonders, Crystal Bridges, Dec. 22-Jan. 4. Make memories at the museum over the school break with special activities every afternoon, including artmaking, creative play, puppets, music, dance and more. Free, no registration required.

• Gingerbread House Workshop, Fayetteville library. Wednesday, Dec. 12 6:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m. The library will provide icing and seasonal candies; you are welcome to bring your favorite confections to decorate your house. This workshop is for 18 years or older, and registration is required. Faylib.org

WHERE TO SEE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

• Lights of the Ozarks Fayetteville Square, walk under and through the lights 5 p.m.- 1 a.m. through Jan. 1. On some nights there are also carriage rides, pony rides and even camel rides. There’s usually a food truck parked nearby. • The Stewart Family Christmas Light Display now through January 1st, 5:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Walk-through pathway to enjoy lights and inflatables. Parking is $5. Train rides for $2, camel ride $5. 4423 E Wyman Rd Fayetteville, 72701. • Bentonville Square nightly, through Jan. 1. • Bentonville Heart Lites display, now through New Year’s Day. Family Christmas light display, 6:30-10:30 p.m. 3505 NW Edgewood Ave, Bentonville.

• Christmas Parade of Lights, downtown Eureka Springs, through Dec. 31.

• Great Passion Play Lights DriveThrough, Eureka Springs, dark – 8 p.m. through Dec. 25. Enjoy a forest of 300 Christmas trees on the way to see the Christ of the Ozarks statue.

• Dye Family Christmas-Cloverdale Lights. 5:30 p.m. to midnight, 10537 Oak Tree Circle, Rogers. Family light show is sequenced to music and uses new lighting technology. • McKim Family Light Display. Lights are on Sunday-Thursday 5:30 pm-9:30 pm, Friday-Saturday 5:30-10:30. Tune to FM 91.1 to hear the music. 3506 Hamm Ln, Springdale.

CHRISTMAS TREE FARMS

• Wonderland Christmas Tree Farm. A choose-and-cut farm in Pea Ridge. They also have pre-cut trees and wreaths available for purchase. This real working tree farm with a hay ride out to the fields. 14821 Miser Road, Pea Ridge. • Shipley Farms. Pre-cut Christmas trees (including snow-flocked) and wreaths. They also have hay rides, hot chocolate, music and lights. 14339 Wildcat Creek Road, Springdale.