Giant Santas pop up in Sudbury neighbourhood

Giant Santas line festive Sudbury street Inspired by a tradition from Toronto, some residents of McNaughton Street in Sudbury have place giant Santas in their yards.

On Sudbury’s McNaughton Street near Bell Park, more than a dozen large, inflatable Santas have popped up.

The idea was championed by Sarah Dakins following discussions with a friend who lives on the same street. It's based on a tradition in Toronto, where giant Santas are put up along Inglewood Drive every year.

"(My friend’s) husband shared with me Kringlewood in Toronto," Dakins said.

"So Inglewood turns into Kringlewood, and they set up big Santas, and he thought we should try this for McNaughton … I said, 'I'm on it. I'm all over this.'"

She began posting on McNaughton’s Facebook page, which was created during the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to bring the community together.

"We posted in the Facebook group and just said, 'Who's interested?' Recognizing that, you know, it's the Holiday season. Life is expensive," Dakins said.

"You know, if we could get a couple of people to do it, that'd be great. But the uptake was phenomenal."

She said the initiative started two weeks ago, and now, 16 households are taking part.

"Honestly, I didn't think much of it because she has a lot of great ideas," said Dakins’ husband, Rob Roy.

"I'm really happy to see that everyone kind of got involved and took part, and it's become something special for the street."

Roy said the project has added to the Christmas spirit.

"We went out a few nights when it was snowing with all the neighbourhood kids, and we were dusting off all the snowmen that had flopped over a little bit from the way to the snow," he said.

"So, it's been fun for everyone in the neighbourhood."

Greg Stitt, who has lived on McNaughton for 14 years, said he’s noticed there’s been a lot of interest.

“I was out shovelling a couple of nights ago, and we had a car stop by and asked what was going on with all the Santas, so it's definitely got people interested, as well,” Stitt said.

Up the street, Nicholas Skakoon, a McNaughton resident for five years, said he and his family love Christmas.

"It's really brightening up the neighbourhood, putting smiles on everybody's faces," Skakoon said. “

"Everybody's really, really in the Christmas spirit with this."

The father of three said his children love counting each Santa on the street.

Almost 20 giant Santas

"There was six and then there was 12, and I think right now we're up to almost 20," he said.

"So we're counting them every time we turn onto our street at night. It's fantastic. The kids love it."

Skakoon owns a Home Hardware and mentioned a contest to Dakins, which encourages residents to put up inflatable Santas and submit photos to be entered for a prize.

The prize includes a community barbecue and $500 to a charity of choice. Dakins said she will be entering the contest later in the week.

"There's been really great shows of community support," she said.

"We have neighbours purchasing Santa for others. And then people paying it forward and buying, you know, a Santa for someone else that they know who might like it. It's really it really brings people together."

Dakins said she hopes to make it an annual tradition and encourages other neighbourhoods to do the same.

"I think it's really important to build that sense of community and take pride in our neighbourhood," she said.

"It's just a great McNaughton Street tradition."