The US military won't let Santa fly on its jets or helicopters. The same goes for the Easter Bunny. Also, no witches.

US Navy sailor Rick Pellicciotti from Follansbee, West Virginia, dressed as Santa Claus on the deck of the USS Constellation.

Joe Raedle/Getty Images

• US Army regulations do not allow people dressed as Santa Claus on Army aircraft.
• The rules also ban anyone dressed in other holiday costumes, like the Easter Bunny.
• An Army spokesperson said the reason for the rule is "lost to the ghosts of Christmas Past."

In a shocking turn of events, it appears the US military isn't exactly full of Christmas cheer.

Buried within the US Army's Regulation 360-1, titled "The Army Public Affairs Program," lies a small note that says: "Army aviation assets are not to be used to transport persons consumed as Santa Claus."

The policy also notes that transporting people in costumes like the Easter Bunny or a witch — or "any other holiday-related costume" — is also against the rules.

The rule falls under a section that addresses the use of army aircraft for "non media public affairs travel," the military blog Task & Purpose first reported. The policy notes that any such trip must be approved by the Army and that travelers must wear "proper organizational uniforms, if applicable, and must present proper identification."

Army officials told Business Insider in a statement that Santa has been on the service's "No-Fly List" for nearly a quarter century. They said the regulation's "original intent is lost to the ghosts of Christmas Past."

"In our research, some have suggested that the regulation was put in place as a matter of propriety or possibly safety," Bryce Dubee, an Army spokesperson said. "However, over the years on special occasions, hardworking Army elves have been granted exceptions to the policy to allow Kris Kringle to join them in support of holiday missions, such as Operation Toy Drop and Operation Santa Claus."

Operation Toy Drop is an annual event during which soldiers parachute to the ground for a crowd of spectators. Toy donations are also collected, which the Army distributes to local partners, according to Army Times. The event is an exercise to train allied jumpmasters to work with US active duty and Air Force Reserve Command paratroopers, according to the military.

Operation Santa Claus is the yearly community relations program sponsored by the Alaska National Guard that provides gifts to children in remote communities across the state. In partnership with the Salvation Army, the program delivered 1,780 pounds of gifts, backpacks, hygiene supplies, and books to 325 children in Scammon Bay, Alaska in 2022.

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