MAS'UM GHAR, Afghanistan (CP) - It had a Canadian look to it but the red and white uniform worn by the visitor to Canadian troops at forward operating base Mas'um Ghar was definitely not regulation.
However, the government-issued flak jacket worn underneath certainly was.
"Santa may be silly, Santa may be jolly, but Santa is certainly not stupid," said the famous old gentlemen looking in surprisingly good shape and cutting a very bright figure against the grey and brown rocks as he climbed up the steep mountainside to bring cheer to troops at the observation post.
Missing from the picture were his famous sleigh and reindeer but there's a military reason for that.
"Unfortunately my sleigh isn't quite ready yet. It's being reinforced and up armoured, so they're working on that. Hoping it will be ready for next year," he said.
As for the request from one of the female tankers that she wanted a Leopard 2 tank for Christmas?
"I can't discuss that but as I said, I don't have my sleigh this year and so the gifts I have for them unfortunately will have to wait," said Santa.
