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Half-naked Santas run for charity in Hungary

About 100 Hungarians wearing nothing but Santa Claus hats and swimsuits run through the streets of Budapest to raise money for cystic fibrosis.
Image: Great Santa Claus Jogging on St. Nicholas' Day in Budapest
Wearing Santa Claus hats and swimming suits, people participate in a jog for charity in Budapest, Hungary, on Sunday.Zsolt Szgetvary / EPA
/ Source: msnbc.com staff and news service reports

Residents of Budapest got to see a whole lot of red — and plenty of skin — during an annual Santa Claus charity run.

About 100 runners wearing nothing but Santa Claus hats and swimsuits jogged for about 1.2 miles through the streets of Hungary’s capital, with temperatures hovering near 40 degrees.

Sunday’s event raised more than $22,000 for a foundation that helps children with cystic fibrosis, according to media reports.

The Budapest event is said to follow a tradition that began in Boston in December 2000 when five intrepid men wearing nothing but Santa hats, Santa beards and Speedos raced past a crowd of stunned holiday shoppers on Newbury Street.

The Santa Speedo Run now attracts thousands to run through the streets of Boston to raise money for local charities. Similar-themed events have spread to other cities in North America and abroad.