Santa, volunteers making spirits bright in Portsmouth

It’s so worth it when you get out there and see what’s going on.”

Wendy Silvia

PORTSMOUTH — About 30 years after the late Henry “Hawk” Silvia revived the Santa Tours in Portsmouth, family members and a group of dedicated volunteers are still bringing jingle bells and good cheer to every neighborhood in town.

The annual Santa Tours kicked off Friday night, with two “sleighs” leaving the Portsmouth fire station. The tours run for eight nights, weather permitting. No tours are held on Sunday in keeping with the Silvia family’s tradition.

To learn where Santa will be on a particular night, visit the Santas Tour-Portsmouth Facebook page.

Many years ago, Santa would visit the town by DUKW (or simply, the “duck”), an amphibious vehicle formerly used by the U.S. military.

“But they sold the DUKW, so there was no more,” said Wendy Silvia, Mr. Silvia’s daughter and one of the lead organizers of the tours. “My father and Joe Silvia (no relation) said we have to have it back. They started by making one trailer with an old farm tractor.”

Mr. Silvia, who died in February 2013, was a member of the Portsmouth Volunteer Fire Department who spearheaded efforts to raise money for children in need. He was also on the Aquidneck Island Tractor Pullers Association, which helped raised money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association as well as a child with William’s Syndrome and a local young burn victim. 

His daughter believes the Santa’s Tours were revived sometime in the mid-’80s. 

“It took them from Dec. 1 almost to the end of December to do all of Portsmouth because my father was bound and determined that we were hitting every street. And, everybody was getting big candy canes; there’s no such thing as a small candy cane in his world,” she said.

It progressed from there. Maps of the town were drawn up and a second trailer was added to save time.

“All the volunteers come in and everybody helps. It’s quite a thing. It’s tedious getting it together and there’s a lot of work behind the scenes, but this makes it all worthwhile,” Ms. Silvia said.

Two John Deere tractors are donated to the cause every year by Tom’s Lawn and Garden. “Every year Tom takes care of us and we are very grateful to him. He’s a big supporter and was a very good friend to my dad,” she said.

For the dogs, too

Full-size candy canes aren’t the only treats handed out, as Santa also brings along two containers full of dog biscuits.

“We gotta take care of the dogs, too,” Ms. Silvia said. “We do the best we can to get to everybody’s streets and we take care of your dogs. We have to because they come out and want to visit with Santa, too. You have to cater to the animal world.”

She said it’s important to carry on the tradition her father started many years ago.

“It’s so worth it when you get out there and see what’s going on,” said Ms. Silvia, who used to ride along herself but now stays behind the scenes to act as troubleshooter.

“We have this couple in Island Park; they’re 90 or 91,” she said. “We have to hold everything up for them. They come out and talk about the war days. They’re so excited. They live for this and they’re waiting in the window. 

“It’s quite an experience, that’s all I can tell you.”