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Santa Claus recently paid a visit to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston to help comfort families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).


See more images from the adorable photo shoot.
Santa Claus recently paid a visit to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston to help comfort families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

See more images from the adorable photo shoot.
Photo: Texas Children's Hospital
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Santa Claus recently paid a visit to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston to help comfort families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Santa Claus recently paid a visit to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston to help comfort families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Photo: Texas Children's Hospital
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Santa Claus recently paid a visit to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston to help comfort families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Santa Claus recently paid a visit to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston to help comfort families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Photo: Texas Children's Hospital
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Santa Claus recently paid a visit to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston to help comfort families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Santa Claus recently paid a visit to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston to help comfort families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Photo: Texas Children's Hospital
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Santa Claus recently paid a visit to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston to help comfort families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Santa Claus recently paid a visit to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston to help comfort families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Photo: Texas Children's Hospital
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Santa Claus recently paid a visit to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston to help comfort families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Santa Claus recently paid a visit to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston to help comfort families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Photo: Texas Children's Hospital
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Santa Claus recently paid a visit to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston to help comfort families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Santa Claus recently paid a visit to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston to help comfort families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Photo: Texas Children's Hospital
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Santa Claus recently paid a visit to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston to help comfort families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Santa Claus recently paid a visit to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston to help comfort families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Photo: Texas Children's Hospital
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Santa Claus recently paid a visit to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston to help comfort families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Santa Claus recently paid a visit to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston to help comfort families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Photo: Texas Children's Hospital
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Santa Claus recently paid a visit to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston to help comfort families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Santa Claus recently paid a visit to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston to help comfort families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Photo: Texas Children's Hospital
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Santa Claus recently paid a visit to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston to help comfort families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Santa Claus recently paid a visit to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston to help comfort families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Photo: Texas Children's Hospital
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Santa Claus recently paid a visit to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston to help comfort families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Santa Claus recently paid a visit to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston to help comfort families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Photo: Texas Children's Hospital
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Santa Claus recently paid a visit to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston to help comfort families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Santa Claus recently paid a visit to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston to help comfort families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Photo: Texas Children's Hospital
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Santa Claus recently paid a visit to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston to help comfort families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Santa Claus recently paid a visit to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston to help comfort families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Photo: Texas Children's Hospital
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Santa Claus recently paid a visit to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston to help comfort families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Santa Claus recently paid a visit to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston to help comfort families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Photo: Texas Children's Hospital
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Santa Claus recently paid a visit to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston to help comfort families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Santa Claus recently paid a visit to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston to help comfort families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Photo: Texas Children's Hospital
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Santa Claus recently paid a visit to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston to help comfort families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Santa Claus recently paid a visit to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston to help comfort families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Photo: Texas Children's Hospital
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Santa Claus recently paid a visit to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston to help comfort families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Santa Claus recently paid a visit to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston to help comfort families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Photo: Texas Children's Hospital
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Santa Claus recently paid a visit to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston to help comfort families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Santa Claus recently paid a visit to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston to help comfort families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Photo: Texas Children's Hospital

Few things are more stressful for a parent than having their newborn baby in the Intensive Care Unit.

Fortunately, Houston's Texas Children's Hospital is helping spread the holiday cheer.

Working with First Memories Texas, a volunteer organization that helps comfort families with premature or critically-ill children, the hospital hosted Santa Claus in an adorable Christmas-themed photo shoot.

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In a prepared statement, April Neal, a mother whose son was born 13 weeks early and is being cared for at the Houston hospital, said the merry visit helped her family through a difficult time.

"We were told Santa would be visiting a few days beforehand and I was so excited – I was even able to dress up my son for the very first time, which was really special," Neal said. "I was a little bit emotional during Santa's visit, and grateful for an experience that normalized the NICU for families. I will always cherish these photos and was excited to share them with family and friends."

"It's wonderful that Texas Children's has volunteer organizations that help put these events together for families – they help bring a little holiday joy and spirit to families who are going through challenging times," she said.

See images from the heartwarming photoshoot above.

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Fernando Ramirez is a reporter for Chron.com and the Houston Chronicle. You can read more of his stories here and follow him on Twitter at @fernramirez93.