Hungarian city holds pageant to choose handsomest Santa Claus

[Champ]

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) - Can you imagine Santa Claus in a swimsuit?
Luckily, the contestants in Hungary's National Santa Claus Beauty Pageant this weekend will get to keep their clothes on - and their beards, too.

The city of Nyiregyhaza will hold its fifth beauty contest for Santas on Saturday, and so far 13 St. Nicks have signed up, hoping to win an assortment of goodies, including a holiday in Tunisia, luggage sets and DVDs.

They'll face a tough panel of judges: local schoolchildren between six and 10.

Besides the style of their white beards and hair, Santas also are graded on their red outfits and must give a three-to four-minute performance - a song, a fairy tale, a poem - featuring their talents.

Some contestants rely solely on their own skills, while others bring along crews of Santa's helpers, including angels and elves, to impress the judges.

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