Packing More Than Just Toys: Santa Receives Concealed Carry Permit

Santa Claus visited El Paso County, Colorado, weeks early this year to apply for a concealed handgun permit from the local sheriff’s office.

“Guess who came in to receive his Concealed Handgun Permit today?” the county sheriff’s office tweeted with a Santa emoji. “Did you know the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office has issued 49,750 Concealed Handgun Permits with another 2,560 awaiting to be issued?”

The tweet included a photo of Santa Claus sitting at a desk at the sheriff’s office with an administrative worker on the other side. Santa appeared to be filling out a concealed handgun permit application. The tweet encouraged readers to visit the sheriff’s office website for more information.

The tweet received an immediate influx of comments. Josh Helmuth, a Colorado news anchor, wrote “Santa doesn’t just carry toys in his sack, he packin’ heat.”

“you better watch out / You better watch out / You Better Watch Out / YOU BETTER WATCH OUT,” Daily Beast reported Kelly Weill tweeted.

“Be good for goodness sake,” commented Steve Staeger, a reporter for NBC 9.

“wh…who’s Santa tryna shoot?” wrote Kate Singh, a producer for Fox 21 News.

Colorado is a “shall issue” state, meaning that the state’s sheriffs are generally obligated to give a concealed carry handgun permit to anyone who meets the law’s basic requirements, according to the Giffords Law Center.