Our pandemic holiday season

The holidays are upon us. Ornaments, stockings and lights are already unpacked and being strung and hung, respectively, on fences and chimney mantles. Records – well CDs – are being played and favorite Christmas books are being read again.

As a society we have many traditions and reflect back on a shared culture and history -- or introduce new generations and newcomers to aspects of the past we love. For newspaper editors, the “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus” editorial is the all-time, worldwide, most often printed editorial, ever.

The start of that true story, some 125 year...