Santa takes a group photo with some Syrian children in Germany

SARSTEDT, GERMANY — No matter where he is in the world, Santa Claus appears to be a popular guy.

Case in point: His recent visit to a shelter for migrants and refugees in Sarstedt, Germany, on Christmas Eve. The facility has been a temporary home for those from war-torn Syria and Afghanistan.

Santa’s pit stop there shows that, regardless of where they are in the world, children go through the same stages of excitement when Santa comes to town.

So who is Santa in this case?

He’s a Syrian migrant living in Germany, and he simply wanted to spread some holiday cheer.

Thousands like him in Germany have volunteered in recent months to lend a helping hand to those living in shelters, according to Getty. It’s no surprise, either — Germany has been among the most generous to Syrian refugees in the wake of their civil war, Bloomberg reported.

In fact, this year, the European country is expected to take in more refugees from Syria than the U.S. will accept from the entire world (despite Germany being a much smaller country, both geographically and by population).

Source: Upworthy