Largest Gathering Of Santa Clauses-world record
set by Porto
PORTO city, Portugal -- Despite cold weather and
drizzling rain, over 14,200 people dressed as Santa Clauses
paraded in Portugal's city of Porto, raising money for charity
and setting the world record for the Largest
Gathering Of Santa Clauses.
Photo: Scores of women and children
dressed as Father Christmas walked down the streets singing
songs and dancing in the annual parade that started in the
afternoon and stretched after dark.
(enlarge
photo)
"It's not just a gathering of people
at the time of the year when people normally get together,
but it is also a social event to bring the warmth of Christmas
to those who don't always have it," Vitor Ferreira, one of
the organizers of the event, told reporters.
Every Santa, or Pai Natal (Father Christmas)
as he is known in Portugal, who took part in the parade donated
1 euro to buy presents for the needy children in Porto, Portugal's
second-largest city, Ferreira said. He said 17,400 people had signed up
to take part, although bad weather prevented some from parading.
Still, over 14,200 showed up in the end, which is a new world
record.
The previous world record for the largest
gathering of Santa Clauses was set last year in Derry
City, Northern Ireland, where a total of 12,965 people took
part dressed up as Santa or Santa's helpers.