Braving cold temperatures of just above freezing point, around 70 people stripped off to red swimsuits and Santa hats for the 21st Budapest Santa Speedo Run on Sunday (December 15).

Participants ran cheering and shouting "ho-ho-ho" across the city center, much to the amusement of locals and tourists. They stopped at several places for exercises, jumping and dancing.

Many of the participants do the run each year. One family started when they expected their first child who then also joined the run each following year

Organizers of the run donate their participation fees to a children's charity organization. This year the donations will go to a foundation which supports families with children who have Prader-Willi syndrome, a rare genetic condition with a key symptom of excessive appetite.

Moving, cheering and singing gave the runners the energy to bear the chilly temperature, they said, insisting that they were not cold.

The idea for the run came after the Budapest event's founder saw a similar run in Boston, U.S. and decided to import the tradition, adding lots of exercise, dancing and singing stops.

(Production: Krisztina Fenyo, Anna Dittrich)