Who says Santa needs reindeer to deliver Christmas presents?

Jolly Old St. Nick made an early visit to South Boston and presented three-dozen children there with toys. And he did it all by water taxi!

The good ship Alice stood in for Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer on Friday when it pulled up to the St. Regis Residences in South Boston’s Seaport District Friday to bring a little early Christmas cheer to the children of the South Boston Neighborhood House — more commonly called “The Ollie.”

The 122-year-old Southie institution says it is helping more than 430 families to provide them with over 1,200 holiday gifts for kids this year, which it said Thursday was the “highest demand for The Ollie’s help over the years!”

At around 11 a.m., the children were delighted with presents, hot chocolate and cookies, holiday games and taking part in a selection of Christmas carols.

But Santa wasn’t the only famous presence there for the occasion. Blades from Boston Bruins, advertised as “the beary tall and beary heavy, enthusiastic and energetic friendly bear who is passionate about spreading his love for Bruins hockey with everyone” was there to bring even more fun and to deliver a special holiday message from Bruins left winger James van Riemsdyk, a resident at St. Regis Residences.