A different Santa Claus made an appearance in Gournes Heraklion Crete. It is Santa Claus of the aquarium in the area that swims with a snorkel and has a sled with colorful seahorses.

The underwater Santa Claus swims in the tank with farmed fish such as ticks, sargos, and shellfish. “Our skullfish are 15 years old. We know when they were born. More than 86 percent of the fish come from farms that we and the Aquaculture Institute do,” aquarium director Yannis Papadakis told ERT.

According to Papadakis, Santa Claus and the mermaid Evriali delight children every year, but this year “there is a special feature” as the two “will present a play about protecting the environment with a message of not leaving garbage in the sea.”

As for whether the aquarium fish are afraid of the presence of Santa Claus and the mermaid, Papadakis says that “they have learned of the presence of the diver on a daily basis because he cleans and checks the tanks. They have adapted and have become friends.”