On Christmas morning, families everywhere rushed downstairs to find hoverboards, Apple Watches and Star Wars toys under the tree.

But not many can say Santa left them a custom-made, pink anti-tank rifle, bedazzled in shiny jewels.

Guns have been one of the most popular gifts this year - with the sale of weapons soaring in the months leading up to the holidays.

So, after the leftovers are stuffed into the tuppaware and extended family members are shoved out the door, thousands of everyday Americans who were given a firearm this Christmas headed out to a firing range to test their presents.

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A woman called Christine poses with her custom-made, pink anti-tank rifle, bedazzled in shiny jewels at Twin Ponds Rifle Range in Awendaw, South Carolina

A family show off their new guns for Christmas during an outing to the firing range, and even show off one of the children's stuffed ponies

Wearing Star Wars socks, camouflaged shorts and Nike sneakers - this boy proudly showed off his weapon just the day after Christmas

A group of people show off their range of pistols, shotguns and rifles on the day after Christmas

Photographer Patrick Hall decided to spend the day after Christmas meeting these people and taking pictures of them with their new sidearm at Twin Ponds Rifle Range in Awendaw, South Carolina - around 30 minutes outside of Charleston.

He used a huge American flag as a backdrop and set up a fog machine - to help recreate the atmosphere at a rifle range when a dozens of guns go off in rapid succession.

In a bid to keep the shots serious, he told his subjects not to strike too much of an extravagant pose.

What he came up with was stunning portraits of men, women and children holding some of the most powerful guns you can buy over the counter.

'Overall, this portrait session was pretty easy because I had prepared well in advance,' he wrote on his website FStoppers.

'Everyone who had their photo taken was super excited about the images, and each portrait had its own character with the smoke and the variety of weaponry displayed. Obviously, the politics concerning gun ownership and how the U.S. Second Amendment fits into today's society is a highly debated topic.

A gun-lover shows off two of his new weapons, including a handgun and a powerful assault rifle with a scope

Photographer Patrick Hall decided to spend the day after Christmas meeting these people and taking pictures of them with their new sidearm. This man shows off a powerful rifle

The same person also posed for a dramatic picture alongside another girl who arrived in a hunting hat

Wearing camouflaged pants, this gun owner looks like he is ready to hit the range with his new gift

A man proudly poses behind boxes of ammunition with his shotgun cocked

A fashionable shooter, with smoke fading in front of him, holds up two of the high-powered guns he was given. He is holding an AK-47 in his right and it looks like an AR15 in his left

'My goal with these portraits wasn't to take any particular side in that argument, but instead, I just wanted to capture the diverse group of gun owners from every walk of life, as they enjoyed their hobby following Christmas.

'I think what makes any photo series interesting is seeing how individual people with different cultures, beliefs, and ideologies interpret and critique a collection of photographs.

'For me, these are some of the most interesting photographs I have ever taken, and this is a series I could see myself revisiting down the road.'

Apparently more guns were bought for Christmas this year in comparison to many other years.

This may have been because of the recent terrorist attacks in San Bernardino and Paris.

This man, with tattoos on each arm, holds up his high-powered HK MR762A1-SD with a long-range scope

A young man in a camo t-shirt and checkered pants holds up his powerful gun in front of an American flag

A man in a plaid shirt shows off his M4, with a sidearm nestled in his holster on his belt