News

Winthrop firefighter who drove Santa into town for 35 years retiring from force

WINTHROP, Mass. — Winthrop is celebrating one of it's Christmas Eve traditions, but this year is a bittersweet one for many in the town.

Santa's annual Firetruck Drive through the town brings cheering crowds and waving children. And after 35 years of driving Santa through the quiet beach town every Christmas Eve night, veteran firefighter Dennis Boudrow will do the drive for the last time.

Boudrow's family and neighbors gathered at Santa's last stop to celebrate his retirement from the force at midnight.

"It's all I've ever known. He's been doing it for longer than I've been alive, so next Christmas Eve is going to be really weird without him driving Santa," his son, Doug, said.

Boudrow spends months planning Winthrop's magical Christmas Eve night.

"There's nothing that even compares to it," he said. "You drive down the street and you see everyone hanging out of the window and blowing horns at you."

Though he'll miss the celebration before Christmas, he said he'll miss helping the community with his fellow firemen the most.

"I work with some of the best guys in the world…they’re like my family,” Boudrow said.

However, his service will live on -- both of his sons are firefighters in Cambridge.

And as he said, he will always be around if the town needs help with next year's celebrations.