Santa Claus and Christmas lights

South Korean runners wearing Santa Claus costumes pose for souvenir photos before taking part in the Santa Marathon race in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Dec. 11, 2010. Christmas is one of the biggest holidays in South Korea where over half of the population are Christians.



Some of the hundreds of people dressed in Santa outfits celebrate at Trafalgar Square in London, Saturday, Dec. 11, 2010. Hundreds of people dressed as Santa Claus have descended on London, startling commuters and tourists with a tide of seasonal cheer. Organizers of the annual "Santacon" festive flash mob say it is "a nonprofit, nonpolitical, nonreligious and nonsensical celebration of Christmas cheer, goodwill, and fun."



People dressed in Santa Claus costumes sit on a lion statue with the Norwegian Christmas tree in the background in Trafalgar Square, London, Saturday, Dec. 11, 2010. Hundreds of people dressed as Santa Claus have descended on London, startling commuters and tourists with a tide of seasonal cheer. Organizers of the annual "Santacon" festive flash mob say it is "a nonprofit, nonpolitical, nonreligious and nonsensical celebration of Christmas cheer, goodwill, and fun." At left is the National Gallery.




Some of the hundreds of people dressed in Santa outfits celebrate at Trafalgar Square in London, Saturday, Dec. 11, 2010. Hundreds of people dressed as Santa Claus have descended on London, startling commuters and tourists with a tide of seasonal cheer. Organizers of the annual "Santacon" festive flash mob say it is "a nonprofit, nonpolitical, nonreligious and nonsensical celebration of Christmas cheer, goodwill, and fun."



Some of the hundreds of people dressed in Santa outfits celebrate at Trafalgar Square in London, Saturday, Dec. 11, 2010. Hundreds of people dressed as Santa Claus have descended on London, startling commuters and tourists with a tide of seasonal cheer. Organizers of the annual "Santacon" festive flash mob say it is "a nonprofit, nonpolitical, nonreligious and nonsensical celebration of Christmas cheer, goodwill, and fun."



BERLIN, GERMANY - DECEMBER 10: Cars pass an illuminated giant Santa Claus and nutcracker on December 10, 2010 in Berlin, Germany.



Christmas lights in the form of the Eiffel Tower are displayed near the actual city landmark on the Rue Saint Charles in the 15th arrondissement of Paris, December 10, 2010.



Fireworks light up the sky above at Christmas tree during a lighting up ceremony at Cathedral square in Vilnius, Lithuania, Saturday, Dec. 11, 2010.



Fireworks light the sky above at Christmas tree during a lighting up ceremony at Cathedral square in Vilnius, Lithuania, Saturday, Dec. 11, 2010.



Indonesian visitors have their pictures taken next to a giant Christmas tree at a shopping mall in Jakarta on December 11, 2010. Many shopping malls and other business establishments in the world's most populous Muslim-majority country are docorated with ornaments to celebrate Christmas.



A man walks past a Christmas tree at Taksim square in Istanbul December 11, 2010.



NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 11: Revelers dressed as Santa Claus celebrate during the annual Santacon event December 11, 2010 in New York City. Santacon is a mass gathering of revelers dressed as Santa Claus who take to the streets in cities across the country before Christmas.



NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 11: Revelers dressed as Santa Claus celebrate during the annual Santacon event December 11, 2010 in New York City. Santacon is a mass gathering of revelers dressed as Santa Claus who take to the streets in cities across the country before Christmas.



NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 11: Revelers dressed as Santa Claus celebrate during the annual Santacon event December 11, 2010 in New York City. Santacon is a mass gathering of revelers dressed as Santa Claus who take to the streets in cities across the country before Christmas.



NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 11: Revelers dressed as Santa Claus celebrate during the annual Santacon event December 11, 2010 in New York City. Santacon is a mass gathering of revelers dressed as Santa Claus who take to the streets in cities across the country before Christmas.




NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 11: Revelers dressed as Santa Claus celebrate during the annual Santacon event December 11, 2010 in New York City. Santacon is a mass gathering of revelers dressed as Santa Claus who take to the streets in cities across the country before Christmas.



Participants dressed in Santa Claus outfits ride bicycles on a street during a charity event in Changwon, southeast of Seoul, December 11, 2010. About 2,000 volunteers took part in the charity event to help the poor ahead of Christmas season.


SantaCon 2010: Santas Gone Wild!




San Francisco Santacon 2010




source: Daylife
photo: AP photo, Gettyimages, Reuters