Mary O’Connor for The Boston Globe
Jayce Plante, 4, of Sutton, chatted with Globe Santa at Faneuil Hall Marketplace in Boston yesterday.
“Rattlin’ Around the Christmas Tree” is the theme of a Globe Santa Fund benefit to be held Wednesday night at the Rattlesnake Bar and Grill at 384 Boylston St.
There will be jazz music by the Rollo Tomasi Quartet, a special fashion presentation by the Dawn Mostow Models, and live and silent auctions conducted by auctioneer Jim Wells.
Another highlight of the evening will be a Southwest Tasting prepared by chef Brian Poe.
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The event, which runs from 7 to 10 p.m., is hosted by Eddie Doyle and the Spirited Bostonians.
Doyle is best known as the longtime bartender at the Bull and Finch Pub at Hampshire House on Beacon Hill, a pub that gained national fame for its role in the popular television series “Cheers.”
He also has been a longtime friend of Globe Santa.
In 1980, Hampshire House held its first Globe Santa benefit, which owner John Grasso and Doyle organized after reading a Globe Santa story about a 15-year-old boy who had sought Santa’s help so he and the other children in his family, abandoned by their parents, would have Christmas gifts to open.
Every year since then, the Hampshire House and its patrons have been a major contributor to Globe Santa.
Doyle is no longer at the pub, but he and his friends this year are continuing their support of the Santa Fund by holding the benefit at the Rattlesnake Bar and Grill.
Each guest is asked to also bring an ornament to decorate a Christmas tree that later will be donated to the Neely House at Tufts Medical Center.
A door donation of $20 per person is requested and checks should be made out to “Globe Santa Fund.”
Since 1956, Globe Santa has delivered toys, books, games, and candy to families throughout Greater Boston and Eastern Massachusetts that celebrate Christmas in the Santa Claus tradition but cannot afford presents for their children.
Last year, $1,413,668 was raised and 56,190 children discovered presents from Globe Santa under their tree. Because so many people like knowing they helped make a child happy, 31,263 families enjoyed the wonder of Christmas morning rather than a difficult day.
Thousands of families will receive a visit from Globe Santa this year thanks to the generosity of individuals, groups, and local businesses.
Every dollar raised by Globe Santa is used to buy gifts; the Boston Globe Foundation pays all of the administrative costs associated with the campaign.