PHOTOS: Santas Hit the Slopes for Charity at Maine Ski Resort Event

In western Maine, 250 skiing Santas descended on Mahoosuc Mountains last Sunday for a good cause, hitting the slopes of the Sunday River ski resort for their annual charity event. For 18 years, the resort has hosted the event to raise money for the Sunday River Community Fund, which benefits communities in the area.

Registration fills up within minutes every year.

All Santas have to donate a minimum of $15 to participate. Over the years the event has grown so much that the online registration this year for the 250 available spots filled up in 10 minutes, said Darcy Lambert, a spokeswoman for Sunday River.

The mountain slopes were overrun with jolly Saint Nick.

These Santas raised thousands of dollars for the community.

The event raised $2500 for the community fund on Sunday.

A festive and fun way to start off the season.

A ski lift instead of reindeer for aerial support.

Some Santas chose to shred on their boards!

It seems other mountains have the same idea.

In the village of Verbier in Switzerland, nearly 2700 people dressed as Santa Claus hit the slopes for the local resort's opening season. The 4th annual promotional event offers a free day ski pass to anyone dressed as Saint Nicholas.

Organizers reported that this year's 2,656 participants smashed previous records, and a representative from the Guinness Book of World Records was on hand to verify the record.

https://www.facebook.com/Verbier4vallees/photos/a.331530143695131.1073741828.331026377078841/837186436462830/?type=3

In regions where it is slightly warmer, people who still want to have holiday fun for a good cause have similar, though wetter, traditions.

The 8th annual Surfing Santa competition at the Ritz-Carlton in Laguna Niguel raised money last month for Surfer's Healing, which is a surf camp benefitting children with autism. The camp was founded in 1996 by Israel and Danielle Paskowitz, after an experience where their own son, Isaiah, had a healing experience after being taken surfing with his father in Hawaii.

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