Santa brings holiday cheer to Maryland NICU babies, families
ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Just a few days before Christmas, Santa paid a special visit to a local NICU to spread holiday cheer to premature babies and their families.
Holiday tradition
What we know:
Santa visits the NICU at Teddy's Place at Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center every holiday season to help celebrate the babies' first Christmas.
The families get to choose holiday outfits, before staff take photos of the children to share with their families.
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The center said that thanks to local donors, this year they were able to include more festive items like holiday onesies, gift boxes, books and holiday blankets.
What they're saying:
Kevin Cleaver, a NICU nurse at the medical center, has played Santa for the babies for the last few years.
"Parents are always so thankful for this small gesture during such a stressful time," Cleaver said.
Paige Hawkins' son has been in the NICU since October. She said that the visit "means a lot to us because we can't take him to see Santa in the mall or do regular Christmas photos with his sister, so this was a very nice gesture."
Hawkins is hopeful her son will be released in time for Christmas.
The Source: Information in this story is from Luminis Health.