Jul-i-juli

Jul-i-juli "Christmas in July" as it translates to, was started in Denmark.   Every year Copenhagen hosts the World Santa Claus Congress or as the Danes say: Julemændenes Verdenskongres, which has been recurring for the last 54 years.  I am severely, severely disappointed to say that it just happened...... and ......I just missed it.... but I had to work.  Taking a day off to attend a Santa Claus conference would have given me an unfavorable reputation.

But you who have also missed it, need to watch this Santa Claus video to get the full experience of events. HA

Santa Claus's from all over the world come to gather in Copenhagen for 3 days to meet, greet, and discuss best practices on how to spread holiday cheer.

According to a Danish newspaper:

"They also will discuss important matters such as standardizing the width of chimneys to enable Santas to slide easily down them as they deliver presents, and debate weight regulations for the red-suited, white-bearded Christmas figure who tends to be on the heavy side.

It will also decide the date on which Christmas ought to be celebrated.  It's said that Scandinavian Santas want Christmas shifted to Dec. 24, while their Russian counterparts prefer Jan. 6.

"It is an important event because we can get together and talk at a time when we are not so busy, try and solve our common problems, and agree on how to do our job best at Christmas time," explained Jacobsen, who has been a Santa Claus for 35 years.

With around 120 participating Santas from the United States, Britain, Japan, Canada, Russia, Germany and the Nordic countries, this congress maybe is the world's oldest and largest Santa convention. It is held in July to avoid Santa's busy period at the end of the year.

The event is an opportunity for modern day Santas to discuss new ways of preserving the name and tradition of Santa Claus.

"If you are Santa Claus, you want to go and meet other Santa Clauses. This way, we can have the same story when kids ask us what we are all about," observed Santa James from Scotland, who was a chartered accountant before retiring and becoming a Claus.

But amidst a sea of red velvet suits, flowing, white beards - both fake and real - and dozens of 'helpers' decked out as elves in pointy, green hats and furry reindeer suits complete with fake antlers, it is hard to take things seriously. And the Santas certainly do not.

"I am from the North Pole of course, but my summer home is Southern California," joked Santa Ron, when asked where he came from.

Meanwhile, Santa James has a simple explanation for the logistical mystery surrounding how Santa delivers toys to children all over the world on the night before Christmas.

"We, the Santa Claus Corporation, own all the postal delivery vans. We lease them to the post office for 364 days, but we use all the vans on that last day," he said with a straight face.

His wife Patricia, a helper elf, added her main job is "to make sure Santa does not get up to any mischief like smoking cigarettes or drinking Scottish whisky!"

Other activities include:

a canal tour

visit to the Little Mermaid

A Welcome show at Bakken (the oldest amusement park in the world)

a parade at Bakken

Reindeer feedings at the Copenhagen Zoo

Christmas "fun in the streets" at Bakken

A Christmas-in-July show at Bakken

A parade at Strøget

the Santa Claus Pentathlon

A Galla Chistmas Show

An excerpt from another Danish news article describes the Santa Claus pentathalon:

COPENHAGEN, Denmark -- The Olympics have pentathlons - and so does the World Santa Congress, sort of.

Santas from all over the world lugged their overweight waistlines to this year's 54th World Santa Claus Congress, throwing sacks of presents and firing canon balls in a new physical fitness contest.
The five-discipline event is the latest addition to the three-day conference at the world's oldest amusement park: Bakken, just outside the Danish capital of Copenhagen.
Two teams of St. Nicks - one from Denmark and the other from the United States, Sweden, Russia, Germany and other countries - competed Wednesday for the coveted trophy of Best Santa Team.
The Danish Santas won.

Aside from throwing presents, they also had to master a Christmas obstacle course, ride bumper cars and compete in a horse race game. 

This is one pooped Santa.  He needed to cool off his footsies in the water near the little mermaid.