Santa Claus for a Cause

Have you ever seen one of those Mall Santas that just didn’t cut it? His beard was falling off or his pillow was poking out of his coat? He tried, but you just didn’t believe him?

Michael Rielly is not that kind of Santa.

When you see him, costume and beard expertly applied, and just watch the way he enters a room, you truly believe that he is Santa Claus.

Rielly’s grandfather, Jim, began the family Santa Claus tradition in 1927 at the age of nineteen, when he heard that a local family had made their home in an abandoned chicken coup. He was determined to bring a little Christmas joy to them and sought the help of the community. He cobbled together a Santa suit, threw some oranges and toys in a pillowcase, and delivered the small but thoughtful gifts to the family.

From that moment forward, Jim Rielly did whatever he could to spread the joy of Christmas year-round. He spent time in churches, hospitals, schools, nursing homes, military bases, and more.

Over the course of his life, Jim received several distinctions and letters from dozens of famous people, including First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, President Dwight D. Eisenhower, and even Pope John Paul II, commending him on his charitable work. He spent 62 years bringing smiles and laughter to those who needed it most, and now his grandson carries on the tradition.
In 1971, at the age of eight, Michael was asked to portray Santa in a school play. So, armed with his grandfather’s advice, a red snow suit, his mother’s belt, and some cowboy boots, a new apprentice was born. As Michael grew up, he would visit the Veteran’s Hospital in Bristol as Santa to bring some cheer to those who desperately needed it.

When Jim passed away in 1991, Michael filled his boots, so to speak, and took on many of the gigs his grandfather used to do. He appears every year at the Bristol Holiday Illumination, as well as the Pancake Breakfast the next morning. He also appears as Santa at private parties and functions, but he doesn’t accept money. He requests that a donation be made instead, to charities that help families and children. He lives by his grandfather’s words: “I wouldn’t feel comfortable accepting money while portraying a saint.”

In 2016, Michael started the James D. Rielly Foundation, a non-profit organization that continues his grandfather’s mission to help improve the lives of those who need a little extra cheer. They provide emotional and charitable support to families and children of military personnel, first responders, and veterans in need, living true to their motto: “Spreading Cheer Throughout the Year.”

Michael’s son, now 25, has begun to embrace the family tradition as well. Michael and his family have done everything they can for nearly a century to share the joy and love of Christmas with people around the state of Rhode Island and around the country, and it seems that they’ll carry on the tradition for another century to come. Bristol