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On Christmas Eve, while a man in a red suit and a white beard is making his rounds to kids all around the world, there will be someone normally decked out in black and gold doing his part as well to spread holiday cheer.

That would be Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch.

What has become a yearly tradition will continue this year. Just hours after the Steelers play the St. Louis Rams at Heinz Field on Dec. 24 Batch will deliver toys to 20 families in Homestead and the surrounding areas.

Batch got help collecting those toys on Tuesday when he hosted his annual Batch of Toys drive at Dave & Buster’s at the Waterfront. Batch and about a dozen of his teammates signed autographs for fans who donated toys to the Best of the Batch Foundation.

The toys will be distributed to local women’s shelters, the Salvation Army and to the families that Batch gets to be a “Secret Santa” for.

“It’s exciting to see the fans supporting it and bringing out the toys,” said Batch. “I think everybody knows what it means because we are giving back to the kids. To see the support over the years is great because they believe in what we are doing.

“It’s all about the kids. That is the one thing we always focus on.”

Batch definitely takes a hands-on approach, going to the women’s shelter and other agencies with the toys. But it’s that Christmas Eve delivery that really gets to him.

“To be able to deliver those toys is what says it all,” said Batch. “The smiles are unbelievable when you are delivering the toys. You knock on the door and the mother comes down, the kids peek out to see who is at the door. They are surprised to see me. I am just there to drop off the toys to them.”

It’s more than toys he delivers, though. He delivers what truly is the Christmas spirit.

“Whenever you see the parents they start crying,” said Batch. “They give you a big hug to thank you. It’s about understanding how special that moment is. They tell you that without the toys they wouldn’t be able to give their kids a Christmas.

“I am an emotional person. You try to stay strong and then you are like I have to go and you are wiping your eyes as you walk away. Those are things you see. That is one of the moments you live for.”