Yes, Virginia

This is a beautiful, heartwarming story that is great for the whole family. The animation is very well done and the Believe Meter helps even young kids understand what is happening throughout the story. I understand they used children to voice all of the kids roles and the wonder and delight, as well as the disappointments, clearly came through the roles. The characters are charming and endearing and all of the children who I've seen watch it have loved it. It's a great way to start off the holiday season and we plan on making it a family tradition to help us kick off our holiday cheer. I hope it will remain a holiday tradition for many years to come.

When this would make its premiere a couple years back, I wanted to see it, but wasn't able to do so. I was hoping this would air again this year too so that I could finally catch it (and it would, and did), but I tried searching for any video copies of the full special on Google (after finding that Youtube once again only has clips), and I managed to come across it on Veoh. It was there I saw it at last for the first time either the last weekend of last month or the first weekend of this month (I'm not sure). I'd watch it a second time on t.v.

And it is another fantastic holiday special. It has since become a favorite CGI featurette of mine. It's just great and very well done, I love it. To anyone who hasn't already seen it and is reading my review, you won't be disappointed at all.

I just found out that this (and another version in 2D, which I haven't seen yet, but will eventually) is actually inspired by a true story. Basically, it's about a little girl named Virginia O'Hanlon who asks whether Santa Claus is factual or fictional. She sets off to getting to the bottom of finding proof by writing a letter of the inquiry and attempting to send it to the presses. After getting through unsuccessfully at first due to the head of the local gazette company refusing to accept this as more than simply a mere fantasy (which he believes would damage the company's reputation if he allowed the letter to appear in print), Virginia begins having doubts that maybe Santa being non-existent is true after all and that has been right all along. But thanks to some convincing from the scraggly, street Santa, the gazette's head has a change of mind and heart, having second thoughts.

The lesson is having belief in the evidence of something (or someone) isn't necessarily always by sight but by feeling. And if one hangs in there, is persistent and holds out on the belief and hope long enough, that something (or someone) will show up and come to them, all in good time.

This short (only a 1/2 hour with commercials) telling of the now-well-known letter to the editor of the New York Sun written by 8 yr old Virginia is a well-told and touching special. The animation is great, it is almost claymation-like (similar to a Tim Burton movie). The characters are voiced by entertaining actors, including Neil Patrick Harris and Alfred Molina, as well as Jennifer Love Hewitt and Mike Buscemi (Steve Buscemi's brother). The writing is spectacular (newcomer Chris Plehal delivers a wonderful holiday tale). This was produced and supported by Macy's, but other than a very subtle "RH Macy's" sign in the background of a few scenes, it does not feel forced nor does it scream "product placement." Everyone should add this to their yearly Christmas traditions!

Based on an 1897 editorial in The New York Sun, eight-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon believes in Santa Claus but it seems few others do. Her little brother suggests the skinny vagrant in the dirty Santa suit as the real Santa Claus. Her friends don't believe. She can't find any definitive answer in any book. Her father suggests writing to the newspaper. The editor is dismissive at first but eventually, with the vagrant Santa's urging, writes the iconic editorial.

The animation is second tier even for a TV special. It's a little dirty and grim. The story is really simple. The editorial is where the heart is and a larger portion of it has to be read. Like Linus reciting the biblical passage, the words have great power. This is a lesser level Christmas special but it's very sincere in its sentiment.

A few years ago, I reviewed Bill Melendez' animated version of "Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus" with narration by Jim Backus that I thought was excellent. This one is a new computer animated version partly produced by the Macy's company that differs from the previous one but is no less touching. In fact, making the New York Sun editor, Francis Church-the author of the actual editorial that became famous, express some cynicism before penning his piece brings somewhat of a more dramatic tone that made the thing a little more believable to me. And it was also interesting that the person that made him change his mind was a former employee reduced to being a Santa ringer in order to make money. And Virginia also is more touching as she experiences some self-doubt based on the way an especially snotty girl gets to her. So on that note, I highly recommend "Yes, Virginia".