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A police officer dressed in a Santa Claus costume holds a sack and cane in the Macacos favela, or slum, after arriving by police helicopter in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Dec. 20, 2012. Wearing police blue, the Santa Claus handed out gifts to young residents of the favela.
Santa Claus lifts mood in Philippine traffic jams
Francis R. Malasig / EPA
Filipino traffic enforcer Ramiro Hinojas, wearing a Santa Claus costume, directs motorists on a street in Pasay city, south of Manila, Philippines, on Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2012. Hinojas puts a dance show to make traffic more bearable at Metro Manila’s busiest intersection as road traffic becomes congested due to the number of people doing their shopping, with the Christmas and New Year holidays a few days away.
Francis R. Malasig / EPA
Scuba Santa kicks off the holiday season in Korea
Jeon Heon-kyun / EPA
South Korean divers wearing Santa Claus costumes swim in a tank during an event at the Coex Aquarium in Seoul, South Korea, on Friday, December, 8 2012.
So that's how Santa spends the summer
Casper Christoffersen / EPA
Santa Clauses from all over the world take part in the traditional dip marking the beginning of the annual World Santa Claus Congress at Bellevue Beach, on the outskirts of Copenhagen, Denmark, on July 23, 2012.
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Celebrating the warm summer months, as schools let out and the cooling off begins.
Santa makes the rounds from Nashville to Bethlehem - and receives a beatdown in Santiago, Chile
Left: Ed Rode / Getty Images Right: Ammar Awad / Reuters
Left: Santa and Wynonna Judd performs for Make-A-Wish kids & their families at Belle Meade Plantation on Dec. 21, 2011 in Nashville, Tenn.
Right: A man dressed in a Santa Claus suit walks in the Church of the Nativity, the site revered as the birthplace of Jesus, in the West Bank town of Bethlehem on Dec. 22, 2011.
Santa Claus has been with us for quite some time. Many people believe he was derived from Dutch, Greek and Byzantine folklore tales about a mythical character who provides gifts to children during the darkest winter month. The modern North American version has been popularized by film, television, books and music. He might be the most recognizable character in the world. Seeing the portly, white-bearded, outrageously red-suited character can bring up a lot of deep feelings about family and home, and that is why people use his likeness for peaceful and sometimes not-so-peaceful purposes. Seeing Santa get a beatdown from the police can stop you in your tracks.
Ivan Alvarado / Reuters
A demonstrator dressed as Santa Claus is arrested by riot policemen during clashes with students who are demanding changes in the public state education system in Santiago, on Dec. 22, 2011. Chilean students have been protesting against what they say is the profiteering in the state education system.
Related stories about student protests in Chile
- PhotoBlog: Student protester gets punched in the face by Chilean riot police officer in Santiago
- PhotoBlog: Students protest education system with a pillow fight in Chile
- PhotoBlog: Protesting Chilean students get hammered by water cannons in Santiago
- PhotoBlog: Deadly protests turn romantic in Chile
Related Santa Claus and Christmas stories
- PhotoBlog: They like gifts, but Santa ... not so much
- US News: Arizona gun club offers Santa shoot
- PhotoBlog: SantaCon NYC: full of good cheer? Or just full of beer?
- Slideshow: Faces of Santa
- Slideshow: Christmas at the White House
Yoshikazu Tsuno / AFP - Getty Images
An aquarium trainer in a Santa Claus costume is pushed out of the water by bottle-nose dolphins during a show at the Aqua Stadium aquarium at the Shinagawa Prince Hotel in Tokyo, Dec. 13, 2010. Visitors can view the Christmas special show, which will be held through to Christmas Day.
Yoshikazu Tsuno / AFP - Getty Images
A white-sided dolphin carries a present during a show at the Aqua Stadium aquarium at the Shinagawa Prince Hotel in Tokyo, Dec. 13. Visitors can view the Christmas special show, which will be held through Christmas Day.
Christmas show at Aqua Stadium aquarium in Tokyo
You can view more Santa photos from this weekend on PhotoBlog HERE.
Santa Claus is coming to town by reindeer, by helicopter, by sea
Bob Hallinen / Anchorage Daily News via AP
Santa Claus visits with Star the Reindeer and his handler Albert Whitehead in front of Stewart's Photo in downtown Anchorage, Alaska on Saturday Dec. 11, 2010. Tim Poulsen of Stewart's Photo camera store was making photos of people with Santa and posting them on their Facebook page for the people to download for free.
David Royal / AP
Santa flys into Carmel Valley, Calif. via helicopter on Saturday, Dec. 11, 2010.
Outrigger Hotel via Reuters
Donald Boyce, dressed as Santa Claus, does a "shaka" as he shares a wave with a surfer while riding in an outrigger canoe off Waikiki beach in Honolulu, Hawaii in this still image taken from video Dec. 11, 2010.
LM Otero / AP
Little four-month-old Tavist Lohden, left, lets out a cry as he his held by Santa Claus, portrayed by Bob Campbell, at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden in Dallas, Saturday, Dec. 11, 2010.
Santa baby: Waaaaaaaah, it's Christmastime in the city
I'm struck by the contrast in facial expressions in this frame. Santa appears so at ease.
Romeo Ranoco / Reuters
A professional diver wears a Santa Claus suit as he feeds fish inside a giant aquarium as part of celebrations for Christmas at Ocean Park in Manila Dec. 9, 2010.
Santa Claus is coming to swim: Diver in Santa suit feeds fish in Manila aquarium
From AP: The Philippines, the largest Roman Catholic state in Asia, observes one of the longest Christmas holidays in the world beginning from dawn masses on December 16 to the feast of the Three Kings in January.
Andreas Rentz / Getty Images
Two men dressed as Santa Claus step out of a commuter train on Nov. 27, in Berlin, Germany. More than one hundred Santas gathered for an annual convention in Berlin to prepare for their duties over the forthcoming festive season. The Santas, who were organized by Berlin's student employment agency, got training on what to do when delivering presents to children and were trained in singing Christmas carols. Students of universities in Berlin traditionally earn some extra money over Christmas by stepping in as rental Santas or angels. Around 800 Santa Clauses and angels will visit around 10,000 families in Berlin and the surrounding area during the season.