Yes, Virginia, there really is a Santa Claus.

Each and every child in the world really wants to know the answer to the question, "Is there really a Santa Claus full of love for me?" Yes! Most assuredly, the affirmation to each and every child born into the world is that there is a Santa Claus.

This legend has stemmed from ancient times with St. Nicholas, a generous bishop who gave his money to a poor father with three daughters, and each time St. Nicholas came to the man's home, he brought the father the money for the dowry necessary for his daughter to be married. St. Nicholas spread his generosity -- thus, the legend of Santa Claus began.

It is good to know that there are many, many Santa Clauses reenacting the spirit of love at Christmas to children, and sharing the preciousness of their own resources and selflessness to make this season loving, bright and happy for the children.

So when you dwell upon the mystery of the Lord's coming to flesh as a baby this Advent and Christmas season, I wish all of you to be that special ambassador of love incarnate to each son and daughter, and every grandson and granddaughter you have. Remember the good, holy example of St. Nicholas, who did not count the cost of being generous to the poor father of the three daughters in giving to the father the necessary funds for the dowry.

WE OUGHT TO remember that the spirit of Christmas is all about the infant child Jesus being born in Bethlehem to bring the love of God to all in the world that first Christmas night. We ought to be generous with our gifts of giving to the little ones in our family, so that they come to realize that there is a real Santa Claus in the world coming to share love in a generous way to make our Christmas a true meaning of unselfish care and kindness from our hearts.

Christmas is that special day in the whole year when the focus is our God becoming like us in all things but sin. The holy mystery of Christ's incarnation brings joy and peace and love to the whole waiting world of ours -- the mystery of God's entering our humanity so that we might be able to enter into His holy love forever and ever in the kingdom of heaven.

CHRISTMAS IS the feast of love come to Earth in a baby's birth. Christmas is the holy celebration of love incarnate in our own giving to children. Christmas is the holy reminder of our own need to pay homage to the newborn king and Lord and God and Redeemer.

There really is a Santa Claus for each and every child around the world to know that our Savior lives as our loving God and friend ,so that we might be the very image and likeness of our God in heaven and Christ on Earth.

Thank you for your bringing to your children the real reason for this holy season of love becoming flesh in our world today. Thank you for being the representation of the generosity of St. Nicholas, Santa Claus and Jesus Christ.

Thank you for being the selfless giver of love to your children this Christmas. Thank you for adding a special dimension of love active in your children's life . In a spirit of thanksgiving, we do celebrate the wonders of love in the event of Christ's birth at Bethlehem, and the wonders of family and children, and the special innocence they show to each of us this Christmas.

Have a most joyful, happy and loving Christmas!

(The writer is parochial vicar at the Church of the Most Holy Trinity in Augusta.)