No stupid pet tricks for David Letterman this Christmas: The "Late Show" host did his patriotic duty and spent Dec. 25 with U.S. troops at a rugged desert base in southern Afghanistan, the military told the Associated Press.

Letterman's destination happened to be where coalition forces have been hunting down suspected terrorists for a year, the news service noted.

Letterman, 55, flew into the U.S. base at Kandahar on Christmas Eve and had dinner with troops there, according to Maj. Bob Hepner, 36, from Mount Joy, Pa.

The TV star had also been due to visit Bagram Air Base, the U.S. military headquarters in Afghanistan, said AP, but those plans were scuttled due to bad weather.

At Bagram, the Christmas meal consisted of a buffet of sliced turkey, apple pie and tall glasses of "sparkling" grape juice served from champagne-shaped bottles. (American forces here are prohibited from drinking alcohol while on duty.)

Details of visits by American stars are generally kept under wraps, given the high security around their appearances. Although there isn't much news of what else Letterman did on his trip (besides dine with the troops and spread cheer), word has leaked out about another visiting dignitary.

Santa Claus, with a military police band around his upper arm, raced around the base in a black four-wheel-drive vehicle dispensing candy and chocolates to soldiers, reports AP.