“It was wonderful to give families the precious photo they couldn’t get at the mall because their babies were in the NICU.” The following year, Sinkin was again asked to suit up as Santa Claus.This year, Sinkin, now 68, made a difficult decision: He figured it was time to step out of his boots and give another doctor a chance to carry on the beloved holiday tradition in the NICU at U-Va. “I’m going to be retiring in the not so distant future, so I think it’s reasonable for somebody else to enjoy playing Santa,” he said.“It’s hard to have my babies in the NICU, so seeing Santa Claus making his rounds brought a lot of joy.” Key, 25, and her husband Tucker Key are from Big Island, Va., and have spent every other day in the NICU since their three sons were delivered prematurely at 33 weeks.“But for those who do, it provides a way for them to have that special photo during a time they’d normally be out picking out a Christmas tree or going shopping.” The majority of parents ultimately take their babies home, he said, but for some parents of critically ill newborns, a picture with Santa might be among their only treasured photos.“It was fun to see the smiles when I stepped out of my office as Santa.” Sinkin’s colleagues said they soon learned to look forward to the sound of jingling bells in the halls every December."