Kids being treated at the University of New Mexico Hospital got a special visitor on Wednesday morning, when Santa Claus flew in by helicopter to drop off presents to the young patients.
“The helicopter is my kind of hop-around-town sleigh,” St. Nick said. “My real sleigh is at Kirtland Air Force Base. I keep it up there. It’s in a hangar. It’s got guards, and they keep feeding the reindeer like candy and cookies, and I say ‘No! Apples and oats! That’s what they really like.’ But the guards, the people at Kirtland, have been absolutely wonderful.”
The pediatric playroom on UNMH’s sixth floor had been covered in holiday decorations with a large Christmas tree in the center of the room. Mr. Kris Kringle himself sat in front of the tree, giving kids turns on his lap before gifting them a present each…