Santas in Speedos Jingle Through Boston

It's that time of year again. Boston's annual Speedo Santa Run took place over the weekend and our reader Patrick Lentz was there again to capture it. This year, the fur Speedo introduced by the Santa in the middle last year seems to have caught on. Also joining the run this year was a rowdy gang from Philadelphia.

Hopefully they just tore up a few of those faux fur throws Pottery Barn is hawking this season rather than slaughter any reindeer or albino squirrels.

More AFTER THE JUMP...

Santas Told Not to Say "Ho Ho Ho" Because it Offends Women

Seriously?

Santa Clauses in Sydney, Australia have been told to say "Ha Ha Ha" instead.

Agence France Presse reports: "One disgruntled Santa told the newspaper a recruitment firm warned him not to use 'ho ho ho' because it could frighten children and was too close to "ho", a US slang term for prostitute."

The spokeswoman for a group that campaigns against media that might sexualize children balked: "Gimme a break. We are talking about little kids who do not understand that 'ho, ho, ho' has any other connotation and nor should they. Leave Santa alone."

A spokesman for the company hiring out the Santas, Westaff, reportedly said the directive would be left up to each Santa's discretion.

The only way I'd possibly be offended was if Don Imus had donned the red suit as a bell-ringer for the Salvation Army.

Moscow Sees A Different Kind of Santa Gathering

Thousands of Santas demonstrated on the streets of Moscow last weekend but were not necessarily demonstrating holiday spirit.

The participants were actually not dressed as Santa, but as Grandfather Frost and the Snow Maiden, Russian equivalents of Santa Claus.

They are members of the Russian pro-Kremlin youth group Nashi (more on that here), and there is debate about whether the group represents a benevolent or sinister force in Russia. Nonetheless, as The Age notes, the movement is reminiscent of the Soviet era:

"As the youngsters swayed to the 'patriotic karaoke' emanating from the stage, a voice boomed out from the loudspeakers exhorting them to reinvent Russia's lost glory. 'Let the miracle happen,' the voice cried out. 'Let heart reach out to heart so our country can rise once more.'"

Nashi's aim is supposedly anti-fascist, but some wonder: "The movement's rhetoric is profoundly anti-Western and Nashi apes many elements of the Komsomol, the Communist Party's youth league. Ostensibly, Nashi's main political aim is to fight fascism but liberals call it 'Nashisti', a play on the Russian 'fascisti'."

Quite a contrast to the recent gathering of Santas in Boston.

Packages Delivered: Boston's Santa Speedo Run

Covering this event has become an annual tradition here on Towleroad thanks to our friend in Boston, photographer Patrick Lentz, who makes sure we're not left out in the cold. 2006 is the sixth year for the run, which benefits the Ellie Fund to fight breast cancer.

Many more shots after the jump...