Santa Claus entered a room full of elderly people. 'I've travelled a long way to get here,' he told his excited audience. 'Where I live is really cold at the moment.'
Anker Lee Pui-hing, 60 is a baker with Maxim's, a job he has held for half his life. He dressed up as Santa Claus for the first time in an event at which Maxim's volunteers celebrate Christmas with old people helped by St James' Settlement. For a beginner he did a great job and filled the room with joy. The old people sang two carols with him.
The visit to a community centre in Central on Saturday was one of the fund-raising events for Operation Santa Claus, the annual charity appeal co-organised by the South China Morning Post and RTHK.
Volunteers from Maxim's exercised and played games with the elderly, who live alone, and distributed presents to them. Each gift contained a heart-shaped biscuit and was attached to a card on which the volunteers had written messages.
Santa Claus then served turkeys and cakes. The old folks thanked the volunteers by giving them a card with paper hearts.
Lau Sau-wan, 77, said she had a great time.