Festivities find their way across the globe

People dressed as Santa Claus row a dragon boat during a Christmas regatta along the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy, on Dec 17. MANUEL SILVESTRI/REUTERS

Santa Claus, Christmas trees, wool socks, a warm and cozy fireplace, and perhaps even snow — these are some of the things that immediately come to mind for many people thinking of Christmas.

The visual image is quite accurate in the Northern Hemisphere while in many places in the Southern Hemisphere, like in Africa and South America, Santa can appear in different ways.

In Guatemala, firefighter Hector Chacon, dressed as Santa Claus, distributed toys to children living in the neighborhoods under the Belize bridge in Guatemala City. Firefighters have been giving toys during the Christmas period to children living in the poverty-hit area for 13 years.

In South Africa, Santa Claus made a surprise appearance at the uShaka Marine World in Durban. Dressed in his red suit and wearing a buoyancy compensator, he joined a stingray-feeding show in the largest aquarium of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere.

In Pakistan, many people donning Santa Claus costumes and Christmas-themed dresses in the southern port city of Karachi sang and danced to the beat of drums on Sunday as they took part in a "rally of peace" to mark the beginning of the Christian holiday's festivities.

"Today's rally is the rally of peace, love, and brotherhood," said Sarfaraz William, 18, one of the participants of the rally.

"Christmas is also the name of spreading love and prosperity," he said.