# yes, Virginia

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/yes-virginia
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Used to express that something is true, despite skepticism by some people.

## Examples

- Yes, Virginia, magic is real.
- Yes, Virginia, hard work still pays off in the end.
- Yes, Virginia, you can actually find a good job without knowing anyone in the company.
- Yes, Virginia, it is possible to travel across the entire country on a very tight budget if you plan carefully.
- Yes, Virginia, even the most successful people feel nervous before they have to speak in front of a large crowd.
- Yes, Virginia, despite the cynical nature of our modern world, genuine acts of selfless kindness still occur every single day.

## Origin

From a celebrated line in an editorial on September 27, 1897, by the American journalist Francis Pharcellus Church (1839–1906) in The Sun newspaper published in New York City, in response to eight-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon asking whether Santa Claus was real: “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.”

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.