The big-bellied mythical figure of Santa Claus and his bagful of Christmas goodies are closely associated with the Christmas celebrations around the world.
But the role of modern Santas is not confined to bringing gifts to the eager children and adults. One can see them in odd looks engaging in varied jobs.
According to traditional belief, Santa Claus lives in the North Pole, with a large number of magical elves and eight flying reindeer.
Have a look at the odd Santas spotted around the world in 2011:
Santas in Star Formation: Schoolchildren dressed as Santa Claus form the shape of a star ahead of Christmas celebrations at a school in the southern Indian city of ChennaiReutersRoadmaster Santa: Traffic controller Ramiro Hinojas, wearing a Santa Claus costume, dances as he directs motorists along an intersection in Pasay City, Metro Manila.ReutersSoccer Santa: Winter swimmers wearing Santa Claus costumes play soccer on a frozen lake ahead of Christmas in Shenyang, Liaoning province, China.ReutersElephant Santa: An elephant and students dressed as Santa Claus are seen during Christmas celebrations at Jirasart school in Ayutthaya, 70 km (44 miles) north of Bangkok.ReutersWindow Cleaner Santa: A window cleaner dressed as Santa Claus cleans a window during an event to celebrate the upcoming Christmas holiday season at a shopping mall in Tokyo.ReutersDiver Santa: Spencer Slate, dressed in a Santa Claus suit, watches a goliath grouper while diving in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary off Key Largo, Florida.Reuters
