Obama brings Christmas cheer at children’s hospital, distributes gifts as Santa

Sporting a festive Santa hat and armed with a sack of gifts, Barack Obama delighted young patients at Children’s National hospital with gifts and hugs.

Former US President Barack Obama took on a new high-profile role as Father Christmas on Wednesday for a surprise visit to sick children in Washington.

Former US President Barack Obama delivers gifts, greets patients and their parents at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, DC. (AFP PHOTO / Courtesy of the Office of The Obama Foundation / Chuck KENNEDY)

Sporting a festive Santa hat and armed with a sack of gifts, he delighted young patients at Children’s National hospital with gifts and hugs.

Barack Obama at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, DC

“I just want to say thank you to all of you guys,” Obama told staff, who greeted him with rapturous cheers, in a video he shared on his Twitter account.

“As the dad of two girls, I can only imagine in that situation to have nurses and staff and doctors and people who are caring for them, and looking after them... that’s the most important thing there is.”

“I just want to say thank you to all of you guys,” Obama told staff

The 44th president of the United States still lives in Washington, where he last year dressed up as Santa to visit middle school students at a Boys & Girls Club in the capital.