Claus celebre: Santas around the world

He’s the ultimate mashup — part religious history, part superstition, part marketing campaign — and he sure gets around. And yet, after all these years, something magical happens whenever someone puts on Santa’s bright red suit.

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A diver dressed as Santa Claus feeds sardines at the Coex Aquarium in Seoul. Christmas is one of the biggest holidays in South Korea; more than half of South Koreans are Christians.

Lee Jin-man/Associated Press /

A professional diver in a Santa suit decorates a Christmas tree inside an aquarium at Manila Ocean Park. The Philippines, primarily Roman Catholic, have one of the world’s longest Christmas seasons, with shopping malls playing carols in September. Christmas lanterns and fireworks displays go up in early December.

Romeo Ranoco/Reuters

A bungee jumper in Santa regalia jumps from a platform above Kuta beach in Denpasar on the Indonesian resort island of Bali.

Sonny Tumbelaka/Agence France-Presse via Getty Images

A bungee jumper dressed as Santa Claus clings to his sack as he leaps from a platform above Kuta beach in Denpasar on the Indonesian island of Bali.

Sonny Tumbelaka/Agence France-Presse via Getty Images

Klaus Chroszielewski, dressed as Santa Claus, competes in the National Walk the Plank contest Dec. 3 in Key West, Fla. The Baltimore resident defended his 2010 title in the competition, which is part of Key West's annual Pirates in Paradise festival. Contestants were judged on their pleas, costuming, plank-walking style and splash.

Bert Budde/Florida Keys News via Associated Press

Men, most of them students and retirees, are dressed as Santa at the jobless center in the eastern German town of Rostock. Many people work as part-time Santas during the holidays to make extra money.

Frank Hormann/Associated Press

Four of the 250 people dressed as Santa to take part in a fundraising event ride the chairlift at Sunday River ski resort on Dec. 4 in Newry, Maine. To qualify for a free lift ticket, participants had to wear full costumes, complete with beard, and donate at least $10 to the Bethel Rotary Club's annual drive to provide gifts for the area's needy children.

Robert F. Bukaty/Associated Press

Some of the 250 Santas participating in a fundraising event take a run at Sunday River ski resort in Newry, Maine. Wearing the full Santa custume and donating $10 to the Bethel Rotary Club's gift drive for needy children entitled participants to a free lift ticket.

Robert F. Bukaty/Associated Press

Ramiro Hinojas directs traffic along a Manila road on Dec. 6. Known as the “dancing traffic cop,” Hinojas, 55, is one of thousands of traffic enforcers who struggle daily to manage Manila's notorious traffic. They face insults from impatient motorists and health dangers from exhaust.

Ted Aljibe/Agence France-Presse via Getty Images

Uriah Cole rides a Harley-Davidson past children at Toddler Town in East Alton, Ill., on Dec. 1.

Margie M. Barnes/The (Alton) Telegraph via Associated Press

Santa Claus and Kermit the Frog perform at the National Christmas Tree lighting ceremony Dec. 1 on the Ellipse in Washington.

Mark Wilson/Getty Images

President Obama sings a Christmas carol with Santa Claus during the lighting of the National Christmas Tree on the Ellipse in Washington Dec. 1.

Joshua Roberts/Reuters

Marchers in the Volunteers of America Sidewalk Santa Parade cross an intersection in midtown Manhattan on Nov. 25. The parade has been an annual event since 1902.

Brendan McDermid/Reuters

Competitors take part in the annual Santa Dash in Liverpool, England. The five-kilometer race draws thousands of entrants dressed as Santa Claus. Many runners wear blue suits in support of the Everton FC soccer team.

Paul Ellis/Agence France-Presse via Getty Images

Gilbert Garcia, left, and his mother, Aplonita Montoya, visit the Mary Esther Gonzales Senior Center in downtown Santa Fe, N.M., on Dec. 5 after a winter storm struck the state. The storm closed hundreds of schools, shut down a major highway from Albuquerque to Gallup and led to the postponent of Santa Fe’s Christmas tree lighting.

Jane Phillips/Santa Fe New Mexican via Associated Press

Actor David Warren, who has been playing Santa for the past10 years, holds a less-than-thrilled 7-month-old Olivia Ruch at Santa's Grotto in Selfridges department store in London.

Suzanne Plunkett/Reuters

A man dressed as Santa Claus waves to children from the cockpit of a helicopter over the parking lot of HarborWalk Village in Destin, Fla., on Nov. 25.

Nick Tomecek/Northwest Florida Daily News via Associated Press

A mannequin dressed as a fisherman in a Santa Claus costume sits on a rocky outcrop in the Irish Sea, 50 miles north of Belfast near the village of Waterfoot.

Cathal McNaughton/Reuters

The Season in Photos

Santa Claus, portrayed by Steve Stickley of Stephens City, Va. gets a kiss from a stray puppy during an open house at the Esther L. Boyd Animal Shelter in Winchester, Va. Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011. (AP Photo, The Winchester Star, Jeff Taylor)

Holiday celebrations around the world

People celebrate in colorful, playful and profound ways.

12/05/1999 - PH/MENORAH - CREDIT: Michael Lutzky/TWP - LOCATION: The Ellipse - CAPTION: The official lighting ceremony for the National Menorah on the Ellipse was not held until the third night of Chanukah. Here, the flames smoke after the lighting with the Washington Monument in the background.

Hanukkah starts with National Menorah lighting in Washington

This year’s lighting took place on the White House Ellipse on the first night of Hanukkah.

WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 29: Aini-Alem Dennis, 10, left, Mikalah Davis, 14, center, and Leilani Gill, 11, right, perform with the Farafina Kan Youth Ensemble during A Kwanzaa Celebration in the Panorama Room of the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church on Thursday December 29, 2011 in Washington, DC. The event featured information on the background of Kwanzaa along with drumming and dancing. (Photo by Matt McClain For The Washington Post)

Kwanzaa celebrations across the country

The holiday is observed from Dec. 26 through Jan. 1 yearly.

Holiday Wrapping Paper Contest: A wrap up

Find out who created your favorite wrap design and what the judges liked about the 12 finalists’ artwork. Plus, check out our “adorable...

WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 14: Local Living second annual holiday crafts contest winner by Elizabeth Tung as seen on Wednesday December 14, 2011 at The Washington Post studio in Washington, DC. (Photo by Matt McClain for The Washington Post)

Holiday Crafts Contest: Meet the winners

Elizabeth Tung’s paper star made with gold metallic thread won the annual contest.

WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 19: White Chocolate and Peppermint Chocolate Mountains photographed in Washington, DC. (Photo by Deb Lindsey/For The Washington Post)

Cookie Guide: 25 recipes for the best holiday treats

Our collection of holiday cookie recipes has something for everyone.

U.S. President Barack Obama, first lady Michelle Obama and their daughters Sasha (L) and Malia pose with children, dressed as elves, at the 'Christmas in Washington' celebration at the National Building Museum in Washington December 11, 2011. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas (UNITED STATES - Tags: POLITICS ENTERTAINMENT TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Justin Bieber, Jennifer Hudson, Obamas shine at ‘Christmas in Washington’ concert

The president and first lady host the celebration at the National Building Museum.

US President Barack Obama smiles with daughters Sasha (L) and Malia (R) while watching First Lady Michelle Obama read to children during the annual lighting of the National Christmas tree on December 1, 2011 at The Ellipse in Washington, DC. AFP PHOTO/Mandel NGAN (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)

National Christmas Tree lights up Washington

The tree lighting has been an annual tradition in Washington since 1923.

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