Santa Claus is coming to town ... and resurrecting a grand Whitehorse tradition by driving his decked-out garbage truck around the city.

“Santa will ride again,” a happy Wayne Henderson said in an interview Wednesday afternoon.

He spoke to the Star after making the rounds to day cares and schools to let them know Santa will be out and about in his festive garbage truck next week.

For more than 20 years, Henderson spent a week or so in December in a famous red suit and white beard, driving a city garbage truck that lit up dark winter days with its Christmas lights and decorations.

The city’s St. Nick also delivered candy canes and Christmas cheer to day cares, schools and long-term care homes around town.

It was a tradition he had started when he worked for the city on garbage collection and decided to add some festive lights to his truck one year. The tradition grew from there.

On Wednesday, Henderson said he’s pleased to be part of the effort to help bring back the beloved tradition that lights up the dark days in December and always seemed to bring a smile to those passed or visited.

In 2011, Henderson was unable to deliver his usual festive greetings due to medical reasons. The city later sold off the truck as it bought newer garbage trucks with automatic lifts.

The newer trucks could not accommodate the lighting and festive decorations as the old one had.

The city attempted to keep a similar, though altered, tradition alive after Henderson had moved on and the old truck was gone with a festively decorated vehicle (though it didn’t have the lights).

However, it wasn’t met with the same enthusiasm from the community. Last year, the city announced it was cancelled in favour of other Christmas events.

Tina Woodland, the general manager of Whitehorse Motors, wanted to see the old tradition resurrected with the old garbage truck decked out in Christmas lights and Henderson, aka Garbage Truck Santa, behind the wheel.

Last summer, she approached Henderson to see if he’d be interested in taking on the role of St. Nick once again if she could get a truck for him to use.

“I thought it’d be fun to bring back,” Woodland said, noting there are several businesses also making it happen.

It was a tradition that has been missed over the last couple of years, she said.

After the discussion, Henderson soon booked vacation days off work for December to bring the tradition back to life.

The owner of Takhini Trailer Court has lent out its garbage truck, the same style Henderson drove for the city and which easily accommodates lights and decorations, with others who jumped on board.

As Henderson pointed out, a shopping cart load of lights provided by Canadian Tire will adorn the truck.

They’ll be complemented by decorations Henderson has accumulated over the years.

More than 3,000 candy canes will be handed out thanks to the Real Canadian Superstore.

A Santa suit is being provided through a source at the Thomson Centre, with Qualita Cleaners dry cleaning it for free.

And for those who’ve wondered how Santa keeps his gloves so clean and white while driving a garbage truck, Henderson has revealed it’s thanks to an ongoing supply of the white cotton gloves for the week from Ajax Steel and Industrial Supplies.

Without a continued supply of new gloves, Henderson said, they’d be black by day two.

Meanwhile, along with getting the tradition going again, Whitehorse Motors is doing any work needed on the vehicle. That will include the installation of an inverter needed to run the LED lights, and paying for the gasoline.

Work to get the truck ready for the Christmas festivities will be done this weekend.

Henderson is looking forward to spending part of that period with his son decking out the truck with lights and a few of his favorite personal decorations, including reindeer antlers.

Though it’s been three years since Henderson has donned the Santa suit, he said, getting ready has been just like riding a bike – or, in this case, commanding a garbage truck.

“It’s a positive thing. It’s something I love doing,” he said.

He stressed all the smiles that have greeted him over the years, the reward for what can be 10 hours a day in a heavy Santa suit.

He’s got much of his route already mapped out, arranging to visit schools during their lunch hours and recesses and making his way to day cares and long-term care facilities between the school breaks.

Staff at the various institutions have been excited to learn they’ll be visited by Garbage Truck Santa next week, many recalling the fun of visits in years past.

“I think the teachers are more excited than I am,” he said with a laugh.

In Garbage Truck Santa tradition, Henderson has chosen to make Takhini Elementary School his first school visit on Monday. As he explained, he always visited that school first because he had an aunt who taught there.

Along with the visits outside the facilities he stops at, Henderson will also be visiting long-term care facilities to deliver candy canes and chat with residents who are unable to get outside.