“Not horses, Bob. Reindeer. 350 reindeer power. Pure, snow-plowing magic.”

"Santa's New Ride"

It was a crisp winter afternoon in Toronto, and Bob was wandering the streets of Danforth Avenue, his Sony a3000 in hand, ready to capture quirky street moments. Through his lens, he noticed a familiar figure — Santa Claus — except this Santa wasn’t aboard a sleigh or guiding his reindeer.

Nope.

Santa was climbing into the cab of a massive, black, heavy-duty pickup truck parked curbside. Bob couldn’t resist. He approached with a grin.

“Hey, Santa!” Bob called, “A little early for deliveries, isn’t it? What happened to the reindeer?”

Santa turned, his red suit glowing against the truck’s polished metal. His white beard quivered slightly as he chuckled. “Ho-ho-ho! Bob, my friend! Even Santa needs an upgrade once in a while.”

Bob squinted at the truck’s hood and the massive tires. “This isn’t exactly a sleigh. What’s under there? 400 horses?”

Santa winked, patting the hood of the truck. “Not horses, Bob. Reindeer. 350 reindeer power. Pure, snow-plowing magic.”

Bob let out a laugh. “Reindeer power? That’s a new one.”

“Absolutely!” Santa said, grinning. “Rudolph and the gang are on vacation. This beast here? It’s how I test drive Christmas spirit in the off-season. I call her ‘Dasher Turbo 350.’ Handles snow better than a team of reindeer after too much eggnog.”

Bob couldn’t help but snap a shot of Santa leaning into the  seat, looking entirely at home with modern horsepower. “You’re telling me this truck gets you around the world in one night?”

“Faster than you’d think, Bob. Between the cookies and my schedule, I can’t wait for the reindeer to stop arguing over who’s leading the team.”

Bob nodded knowingly, still laughing. “And the gas mileage?”

Santa paused and looked thoughtful. “Let’s just say... it runs on cheer and a little North Pole magic. But don’t tell Mrs. Claus. She thinks I’m still eco-friendly.”

As Santa climbed into the cab and fired up the engine, a deep rumble echoed down the street. He waved out the window, the sound mixing with the faint jingling of bells. “Remember, Bob — whether it’s one sleigh or 350 reindeer under the hood, it’s all about the journey.”

And just like that, Santa rolled off into the Toronto streets — ho-ho-ho-ing all the way. Bob lowered his camera and shook his head, grinning.

“Only in this city,” he muttered. “Santa with a truck full of reindeer power. That’s one for the blog.”