Santa's Race for Charity in Madrid [VIDEO]
The Spanish capital Madrid hosted its 12th Santa Claus Run on Sunday, Reuters, Mundo Deportivo and ABC News reported.
Thousands of people dressed as Santa Clauses took part in the charity run to raise money for people affected by the three-month-long volcanic eruption on the Spanish island of La Palma.
Dressed in classic red and white costumes, the runners set off into the artificial snow of Paseo de la Castellana, the main boulevard in the city centre. The race, which started and finished on the avenue next to Columbus Square, was held in a festive atmosphere. The younger participants were dressed as elves.
Some runners swapped Santa's traditional red pants for more athletic shorts, and many wore masks as a precaution against the coronavirus.
The event gathered seven thousand participants and they ran four kilometres. The charity event was held in support of the Red Cross and its project to provide vocational training to young people at risk of social exclusion.
Recently, in the German state of Thuringia, a man dressed as Santa Claus had his driver's licence revoked by police at night after he crashed his car into the facade of a house while trying to deliver gifts in the city of Mühlhausen. According to law enforcement, "Santa Claus" lost control of the vehicle.
Also the day before, Irish Minister of Agriculture Charlie McConalogue officially allowed reindeer harnessed to Santa's sleigh to enter the European Union. The official assured that Santa Claus and his veterinary elves work closely with the Irish government every year to "make sure the reindeer team is fit, healthy and ready to deliver presents to Irish children across the country".
As The Gaze previously reported, a young man sentenced to house arrest in Frosinone, central Italy, escaped from his home to prison because he did not want to spend Christmas alone. Mario, 24, was under house arrest for petty crimes, but on Christmas Eve he came to the gates of the prison in Cassino and asked to be arrested. He asked if he could spend the rest of his sentence in the company of other prisoners.
The man explained that he felt very lonely, he had no one to talk to, and as Christmas approached, he was feeling worse and worse. However, his plan failed - the police returned him home anyway.