Santa came to town on a motorcycle

Santa Claus came early this year in Huntington Beach — and he came on a motorcycle.

More than a hundred motorcyclists rode in the ninth annual Santa Ride on Dec. 24 to deliver toys to a local youth shelter.

“The ride was fantastic. It was the best turnout we’ve had yet,” Greg Coleman, owner of the Huntington Beach Irish-style pub Fitzgeralds, said in an e-mail.

Fitzgeralds collected donations of new, unwrapped toys and gifts for Orangewood Children’s Home, an Orange County shelter for abused or neglected children. The home assists more than 3,000 kids a year.

The motorcyclists rode from Fitzgeralds to the shelter in Orange to Newport Beach and down Main Street in their Santa attire.

The Santa Ride started as just a bunch of guys riding around for “kicks,” but has evolved into a yearly event to help underprivileged kids.

“We are already planning next year’s ride and working on some local and corporate sponsorship, so we may be able to increase our donation to Orangewood,” Coleman said.

“Seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces is priceless.”

— Britney Barnes