After his stint as the president of the United States, Barack Obama took on another high-profile job and dressed up as Santa Claus to surprise children with Christmas presents.

Obama spent Wednsday afternoon at the Children’s National Hospital in northwest Washington DC, donning a Santa hat and going around with a red bag filled with goodies. The gifts included jigsaw puzzles, remote-control cars, and nail paint, the Washington Post reported.

“At such a busy time of year, when no one wants to be in the hospital, his natural warmth lifted the spirits of those kids, their parents and of each staff member he met along the way,” said Kurt Newman, chief executive and president of Children’s National Health System.

The former president, whose love for interacting with children was always clear when he was in office, spent a few minutes chatting with individual children. He later tweeted out Christmas wishes to hospital staff, and visitors and thanked them for humouring him as their “stand-in Santa.”