It’s Christmastime, December 1956, and Santa and his helpers are at Naval Air Station Oakland, California, having flown in on a specially-appointed Piasecki HUP retriever helicopter. Check out the festive paint job on the helo, from the candy canes to the icicles and snowflakes on the windshield. 
National Archives photo 80-G-K-21585 from the collection of the Naval History and Heritage Command

A closeup of Santa and his crew. The pilot doesn’t seem too festive, but the rest of ’em are certainly in the spirit. We have no identification for any of these sailors – if you think you know ’em, let us know. The photo was taken Dec. 12, 1956.

The Brits certainly put on the holiday spirit. Here’s the frigate HMS Lancaster (F 229), on patrol in the Caribbean, dressing up not only themselves but their forward 4.5-inch gun mount. Jolly! (MoD photo by LA(PHOT) Jay Allen)

In Hawaii, the destroyer USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112) lights up Pearl Harbor. (US Navy photo by Ensign Joshua Flanagan (Released)

Out in the Persian Gulf, sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) sort newly-delivered supplies wearing proper holiday gear. (US Navy photo by MC Seaman Karl Anderson)

On board the cruiser USS Gettysburg (CG 64) in the Gulf of Oman, sailors open care packages. In the front are Culinary Specialist 3rd Class Kyle Bartlett, and Culinary Specialist 3rd Class Damian Liker. (US Navy photo by MC3 Lorenzo Burleson)

The lights of San Diego shine brightly as the carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) sits pierside at Coronado. (US Navy photo by MC2 John Philip Wagner Jr.)