Barack Obama, donning a Santa Claus hat and a bulging sack slung over his shoulder, made a surprise visit to a children's hospital here and delivered gifts to young patients ahead of Christmas.
The former US president visited the young patients at the Children's National Hospital in Washington on Wednesday.
First on his list was a group of patients 4 and up who were making snowflakes in one of the hospital's playrooms, The Washington Post reported.
The 57-year-old handed out jigsaw puzzles Hot Wheels sets, remote-control cars, and glittery nail polish, among other goodies collected by Obama and his staffers.
"I just want to say thank you to all of you guys," Obama told the hospital staff, who greeted him with rapturous cheers, in a video he shared on his Twitter account.
"We've had the chance to talk to some of the wonderful kids and their families," he said in the video, which has gone viral with over 242,000 likes.
"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," he said.
The 44th US president also dropped by individual patient rooms for one-on-one visits with children and their parents. He gifted one 12-year-old patient who was nervous about heading to high school next year a piece of advice: "Even the cool kids don't have it all figured out."
By the time he was headed for the door, a crowd had gathered at a nearby nursing station. The group of doctors, residents and nurses cheered for Obama before busting into an impromptu rendition of "We Wish You a Merry Christmas."