Updated

Updated · Fox News · Jul 12

Hundreds of Santas Fill Aalborg Streets at Annual Congress as Europe Swelters in Summer Heat

Updated

Updated · Fox News · Jul 12

Hundreds of Santas Fill Aalborg Streets at Annual Congress as Europe Swelters in Summer Heat

Q: Why do the world's top Santas meet during a July heatwave, thousands of miles from the North Pole?

They meet in July in Denmark because the World Santa Claus Congress is both a long-running midsummer tradition and a practical preseason summit for professional Santas. Held since 1957 and now based in Aalborg, the congress was originally created to entertain children, but it has become an important annual gathering for people who play Santa, Mrs. Claus and elves. Months before the December rush, performers use it to exchange tips, compare costumes and beards, refine their stage presence, and prepare for the commercial Christmas season. The July timing is not accidental so much as traditional. The event has long been staged in midsummer, and organizers and participants embrace the idea that Christmas spirit is not limited to winter. As one organizer put it, the point is to show that Christmas is a state of mind, while participants describe Santa work as rooted in generosity, joy and year-round performance. Denmark, though far from the North Pole, is a fitting host because the congress has deep roots there and the country is part of the broader Nordic world often linked to Santa lore, including claims that Santa lives in Greenland. Aalborg has hosted the event in recent years and provides the setting for parades, contests and public appearances that delight local families. So the heatwave is beside the point: the congress is where the world’s Santas network, train, celebrate their craft and spread early Christmas cheer.

Q: With hundreds of Santas in one place, how is the 'one true Santa' myth explained to children?

The usual explanation is that the “one true Santa” is still the North Pole Santa, while the many others are his helpers, representatives, or professional performers who spread Christmas cheer on his behalf. That fits the Aalborg congress itself, which is a gathering of people who portray Santa, Mrs. Claus and elves, not a claim that there are hundreds of literal Santas. The event is described as a meeting place where performers swap stories, refine their craft and prepare for the Christmas season, much like actors or ambassadors of a shared tradition. This helper explanation is already common in malls, parades and holiday events, where children are told that Santa cannot be everywhere at once, so trusted stand-ins meet families, hear wishes and keep the spirit alive. It preserves the central myth of one magical gift-giver while making sense of many red-suited figures appearing in public. Some Santas and organizers also frame it more broadly: Santa is not only a person but a spirit of generosity, joy and wonder. That idea appeared in comments from congress participants about the “true Santa spirit” of giving and the feeling of Christmas lasting all year. In that version, the many Santas are people embodying that spirit rather than competing claims to being the original. So, for children, the simplest answer is that the real Santa remains singular, and the others are helpers carrying out his work and sharing his magic.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 12

Hundreds of Santas, Mrs. Clauses and elves paraded through Aalborg this week, turning Denmark’s fourth-largest city into a midsummer Christmas scene with photo stops, games and competitions.
The annual World Santa Claus Congress draws professional holiday performers from countries including Norway and Japan to swap stories, compare beards, refine their craft and prepare for the Christmas season.
Extreme heat across central and southern Europe made the sight of red suits and white beards more striking as participants joined gingerbread-eating, gift-wrapping and balloon-modeling contests in sun-drenched streets.
Founded in 1957 near Copenhagen, the congress moved to Aalborg two years ago and is set to mark its 70th anniversary next year.