Santa and Mrs. Claus use military planes to deliver Christmas joy to Alaska Native villages.

Santa and Mrs. Claus swapped their traditional sleigh for a military cargo plane and a camouflaged Humvee this week as part of Operation Santa Claus, an Alaska National Guard outreach program to Indigenous communities. The couple brought toys and gifts to the Tlingit village of Yakutat, which had recently faced challenges due to massive snowfall. Maj. Gen. Torrence Saxe expressed pride in the National Guard’s unique mission. The arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus in the Humvee caused excitement among elementary school children, who received new backpacks filled with items like books, snacks, and toys. Students like Thomas Henry and Mackenzie Ross were thrilled with their gifts, including a plastic dinosaur and a plush seal toy. The visit was particularly special for the children of Yakutat, a remote village with a population of about 600 located near the Hubbard Glacier. Operation Santa Claus, which began in 1956 to assist flood-affected communities, also planned visits to two other areas. Despite severe weather preventing a visit to Crooked Creek, the gifts were successfully delivered there. The Salvation Army plays a key role in supporting these outreach efforts. After the delivery, Santa and Mrs. Claus were seen dozing off on the flight back to Anchorage, marking the end of a heartwarming holiday mission.

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