AMERICAN FORK, UT - There may be a reason Santa chooses to travel by reindeer and sleigh.
A man in Utah found that out the hard way Christmas morning.
On his way to a party set to play Santa -- his car suddenly burst into flames.
However, it was what happened afterward that has him calling it the best Christmas gift he could've received.
The man said, "I'm telling you this is the greatest Christmas Santa has ever had."
But it was unlike any other Christmas Santa, also known as Steve Macey, has ever had.
"I left early this morning to do my one last party at 7am," Macey said.
Delivering gifts to two children in Orem, but because his reindeer were tired Santa had to use his car.
Macey said, "I call it my sleigh but it's a '92 Lexus."
But during the drive through the heavy snow, he heard a pop. Thick, black smoke flooded out of the car.
Santa's transmission overheated and caught fire.
Macey said, "My cars on fire; I got out grabbed my cell phone and grabbed my Santa bells, they're very important to me. I grabbed my Santa outfit, headed down the road with my wallet and my phone."
That's when Santa said the miracles started to happen.
Macey said, "I wasn't sad because two people stopped they took a moment and waited for police and fire department."
Firefighters put out the flames, then the battalion chief stepped in to help Santa.
"He said where do you have to go, I said I have a party at seven I can't miss it," Macey said.
Saving Christmas... Santa and the fire chief delivered the gifts to the children... Then the parents offered to let Santa borrow their car.
"I like to do good things, I'm a good hearted person but the humanity of the people that would stop -- it was a miracle one after another that cared about another human being. I hope you'll remember young lady that the greatest gift of Christmas is love."