The Flying Santa is the name given to a tradition that dates to Christmas of 1929, when packages of gifts were dropped from a plane to lighthouse keepers and their families along the New England coast.
He had a great deal of admiration for these men and their families and felt that something special should be done to show them how much their efforts were appreciated.
On December 25, 1929, he loaded up his plane with a dozen packages containing newspapers, magazines, coffee, candy and other items - small luxuries that could make living on an isolated island a little more bearable.
[2] The Flying Santa flights have continued uninterrupted, apart from one year during World War II, since 1929; helicopters are now [2][3] used instead of planes.
The nonprofit Friends of Flying Santa[4] was established in 1997 to continue the flights primarily as a way of expressing gratitude for the work performed by the Coast Guard.