Title: Yes, Virginia2097c, There is a Santa Claus
Author: Sam Knight
In: A Fantastic Holiday Season (Kevin J. Anderson & Keith J. Olexa)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Christmas, Science fiction
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: World Fire Press
Year: 2014
5th sentence, 74th page: Viriginia didn’t answer.

Virginia needs to do a project for school, but what if she’s really discovered the truth behind Santa Claus?

I’ve noticed that over the past few years, my Christmas spirit just hasn’t been all that… Christmassy. And I know that part of it is the fact that I’m getting older and so not as deliriously excitable about Christmas presents (plus, no one ever gets me books anymore)… yet, I think that the other part of it is the fact that Christmas is so commercial. There is this overwhelming idea that you have to have certain feelings, buy certain things and do things in a very specific way.

Obviously, Knight kind of feels the same. Set in a future sci-fi world in which your every move is monitored, a young girl has to fight to understand the holiday season. What is going on around her and outsmart a computer system to find her own freedom. All in a very few pages. It’s needlessly fun and a great reminder that maybe we don’t all have to feel excited about Christmas. Or even celebrate it in the same way.

<- Santa’s Mortuary Review

Christmas Eve at Harvey Wallbanger’s Review ->

Image source: Goodreads