It’s the season to be merry, but this Santa probably ate his Christmas dinner through a straw after a spectacular mishap at half-time of the festive NBA clash between Houston Rockets and Chicago Bulls.
The traditional Christmas fixture at the United Center in Chicago was a dreary affair as the Bulls were beaten 120-97.
To brighten things up, organisers laid on a half-time spectacular of flying, slam-dunking Santas leaping off a trampoline in sequence to some lively music.
All well and good, you may say – and it was until one unfortunate Saint Nick went face-first into the rim before landing in a crumpled heap courtside.
Remarkably, the show went on, although fortunately there was a safety mat to break the poor fellow’s fall.
He was then helped up by one of his little helpers, so it all ended happily enough, although the acrobatic Santa will no doubt have felt it on Boxing Day.