World Santa Congress brings Christmas cheer to the height of summer

AALBORG, Denmark (AP) — While Europe's still in the throes of summer heat, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in the Danish city of Aalborg.

Dozens of Santas, Mrs. Clauses and elves from around the world have descended on Denmark's fourth-largest city for the Nordic nation’s annual World Santa Claus Congress, a colorful midsummer tradition for decades.

First staged at an amusement park near Copenhagen in 1957, the congress moved to Aalborg on Denmark’s Jutland peninsula two years ago. This year, the Santa suits looked a little stifling under the Danish summer sun.

The event, which marks its 70th anniversary next year, was created to entertain children, but became a popular gathering for Santas who appear in stores and shopping malls during the Yuletide season.

The gathering offers a chance for professional Santas — not the real one, of course! — to swap stories, compare beards, sharpen their craft and compete in lighthearted contests months before anyone checks naughty-or-nice lists for the Christmas rush.

The packed agenda features events like gingerbread eating, gift wrapping, balloon modeling, and several noisy parades.

“The grandmas say: ‘Oh, it’s too early to come here’," said organizer Peter Gislund, himself a Santa Claus in Aalborg during the Christmas season. “The kids say: 'Hooray! Santa’s here already'.”

Over the years, the annual four-day gathering has attracted Santas and Mrs. Clauses from as far away as Australia, Hong Kong, Canada and the United States.

Most of the three dozen or so Santas and Mrs. Clauses at the congress this week hail from Scandinavia, but some flew in — like Paradise Yamamoto from Tokyo.

“This is very fun, so many children … Ho, ho, ho!” said Yamamoto with a laugh after parading through Aalborg waving a Japanese flag and dancing to the song "Feliz Navidad” — one of many Christmas classics played during the event.

Robert Hercz, a 64-year-old Norwegian Santa from Oslo, said that despite their different nationalities, all Santas on hand share “a gene” — for generosity and spreading joy.

“You have it or you don’t,” said Hercz, who was attending the congress for the first time. “We have the true Santa spirit. And it’s all about giving, sharing, and putting a little bit of joy in people’s hearts.”

It’s not all ho-ho-ing and belly rubs.

“When Santas are together, they always mingle and talk a little bit,” said Gislund. “Maybe I put a little bit of sparkle in the beard and so on. That’s the good part of meeting some Santas from all over the world.”

For Simon Brøns, a 33-year-old Danish Santa, the event is proof that the festive spirit isn’t just for Christmas.

“Christmas is not a season. It’s a feeling you have in your stomach," he said with a smile. "So if you want, you can have Christmas the whole year.”

A Santa Claus and Christmas elve performer wave into the camera during the annual World Santa Claus Congress, a colorful midsummer tradition, in Aalborg, Denmark, Wednesday July 8, 2026. (AP Photo/James Brooks)

Paradise Yamamoto, a Santa Claus performer from Tokyo, left, and Peter Gislund, a 57-year-old Santa Claus performer from Aalborg, take a selfie during the annual World Santa Claus Congress, a colorful midsummer tradition, in Aalborg, Denmark, Wednesday July 8, 2026. (AP Photo/James Brooks)

Santas, Mrs. Clauses and Christmas elves from around the world take part in a parade through the streets of Aalborg Denmark, Wednesday July 8, 2026 during the annual World Santa Claus Congress. (AP Photo/James Brooks)

Robert Hercz, a 64-year-old Santa Claus performer from Oslo, Norway, right, pose with an unidentified Santa Claus performer for a photo at the annual World Santa Claus Congress, a colorful midsummer tradition, in Aalborg, Denmark, Wednesday July 8, 2026. (AP Photo/James Brooks)

Santas, Mrs. Clauses and Christmas elves from around the world pose for a photo at the annual World Santa Claus Congress, a colorful midsummer tradition, in Aalborg, Denmark, Wednesday July 8, 2026. (AP Photo/James Brooks)

RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistan's debutants continued to inspire to leave Sri Lanka trailing by 320 runs with seven first-innings wickets in hand after two days of the first cricket test on Tuesday.

Fast bowler Saqib Khan, one of the four newcomers, brought the greenish pitch to life with 2-54 as Sri Lanka reached 114-3 before bad light brought an early closure for the second successive day. Nearly 26 overs were not bowled.

Only 67.2 overs were possible on Day 1 when Pakistan reached 281-5 with play continuing in floodlights for almost 45 minutes on both days at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

Pakistan declared at 434-9 midway into the second session on Tuesday after five half-centuries — three to debutants — and a 48. Saud Shakeel missed out on his first century in over two years on 93.

At stumps, Kamindu Mendis survived a close lbw review and a leading edge fell just short of the fielder to be unbeaten on 40 and former test captain Dhananjaya de Silva had 22.

“There are about 140 chances that have missed the edge and beaten the bat from both sides, so probably says enough that there’s a chance of a result,” Sri Lanka fielding and spin coach Jordan Gregory said.

“So far Kamindu and DDS have put on a good partnership and we would like to see that partnership progress.”

Pakistan’s most experienced seamer Mohammad Abbas and Saqib hit the right lengths with the new ball and both struck in their second overs to have Sri Lanka reeling at 12-2.

Abbas extracted movement from his off stump line and found the outside edge of Pasindu Sooriyabandara, who was promoted to open the innings in his third test and out for a duck.

Saqib struck off his ninth delivery in test cricket when he squared up the experienced Dinesh Chandimal from a perfect length ball that angled across the right hander and edged the shoulder of the bat to the slips cordon.

Sri Lanka slumped further in the shortened final session when Lahiru Udara, who struck seven fours in his aggressive 42, played a loose drive to Saqib and edged to wicketkeeper Ghazi Ghori only two balls after a reprieve from Mohammad Taha, who grassed a one-handed catch at gully.

Mendis and de Silva survived under floodlights and added 49 runs for their unfinished fourth-wicket stand.

Shakeel’s steely 193-ball knock in just over 5 1/2 hours grew Pakistan's total in partnerships of 96 with Ghazi Ghori (48) and 44 with Arafat Minhas (52).

Minhas smashed nine fours and a pulled six off Lahiru Kumara before holing out to long-on when Pakistan was looking for quick runs in the second session.

Shakeel, on 91 at lunch, was out in the first over afterward for 93. Shakeel gloved a leg-side short ball and was caught behind to give Asitha Fernando (3-107) his 100th test wicket.

“You get too disappointed when you don’t complete a milestone (century),” Shakeel said. “The ball came too quick and probably that’s why I got out.

“Spin might come into play if there’s wear and tear on the wicket, but I don’t think reverse swing will come into play because of the lush green outfield.”

The Sri Lanka fast bowlers struggled to hit the right lengths on a consistent basis and the fielding was scrappy. Fernando dropped a skier off Minhas at mid-on before the left-hander completed his maiden test fifty off 70 balls.

Razaullah knocked a six and a four before captain Babar Azam declared when Razaullah was caught at long-off and gave Kumara his only wicket of the innings.

In a dominant first session, Pakistan added 109 to its overnight 281-5 and lost only the wicket of Ghori after Sri Lanka couldn’t penetrate through the middle order even with the second new ball.

Ghori couldn’t get his maiden test half-century and fell when he dabbed left-arm seamer Dilshan Madushanka (3-108) to Sooriyabandara at gully.

Shakeel, who scored his last test hundred against England here in 2024, rotated the strike and Minhas' positive intent ensured Pakistan score at more than four runs an over.

See AP’s full cricket coverage here

Pakistan's Arafat Minhas plays a shot during the second day of the first Test cricket match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

Pakistan's Saqib Khan bowls during the second day of the first Test cricket match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

Sri Lanka's Dilshan Madushanka bowls during the second day of the first Test cricket match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

Sri Lanka's Dilshan Madushanka, second from left, celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Pakistan's Ghazi Ghori during the second day of the first Test cricket match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

Sri Lanka's Pasindu Sooriyabandara attempts to take a catch of Pakistan's Arafat Minhas during the second day of the first Test cricket match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

Pakistan's Saud Shakeel follows the ball after playing a shot during the second day of the first Test cricket match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)