The many faces of Santa Claus

Santa has had many faces over the years. Keep clicking to see the jolly fat man in his many forms.

Volunteers of America Sidewalk Santas pose for a photo.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

A Santa Claus speaks to children in New York City.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

Santa Claus closes his eyes as he gets a physical from Dr. Jane Sadler, Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, Texas.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

A snow-covered Santa Claus statue in Lauscha, Germany.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

A boy dressed as Santa Claus in Bucharest, Romania.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

Even dogs get in on the Santa fun. Seen here -- a toy-poodle in costume in Tokyo.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

A diver dressed as Santa Claus in Philippine coral reef tank during a show at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

Men dressed as Santa Claus perform in a Christmas parade in Nazareth, Israel.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

Workers in Santa Claus and reindeer costumes clean windows outside of a 31-meter-high building at the Odaiba shopping mall on Tokyo's waterfront on Dec. 23, 2010. The costumes were worn as part of a Christmas promotional event to attract shoppers.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: KAZUHIRO NOGI

Santa Claus water skis down the Potomac River on Christmas Eve December 24, 2010 at Maryland's National Harbor, a few miles down the river from Washington, DC. The Water Skiing Santa, Flying Elves, a Jet-Skiing Grinch, and even Frosty the Snowman, have been appearing on the river for 25 years in freezing temperatures.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: Paul J. Richards/AFP/Getty Images

A child with Santa during unveiling of the Neiman Marcus 2010 Christmas Book in Dallas.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

A surfer dressed in a Santa costume surfs at Kuta beach on the Indonesian resort island of Bali on Dec. 24, 2010.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: Sonny Tumbelaka/AFP/Getty Images

Christmas angels and a Santa Claus ride on Segways in Berlin on Nov. 3, 2011.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: Wolfgang Kumm/AFP/Getty Images

Grandfather Frost and Snegurochka, the Russian Santa Claus and the Snow Maiden.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

Father Christmas unveils the ice-rink on Harrods rooftop 150 days before Christmas, as part the opening of Harrods Christmas World department on July 28, 2011, in London.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: James McCauley/Harrods via Getty Images

Santa Clauses riding on Harley Davidson motorcycles in Zurich, Switzerland.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

Volunteers of America Sidewalk Santas in New York City.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

A young boy shares his wishes with this traditional-looking Santa Claus.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

A Santa Claus gets a lick from a pug dog.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

A man dressed as Santa Claus crosses snowy street in Frederick, Md.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

Santa Claus tries parachuting.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

Santas arrive by boat for World Santa Claus Congress in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

Santa Claus feeds police horses in Boston.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

A man dressed as Santa Claus on a motorbike in Berlin.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

An Alaska National Guardsman dressed as Santa Claus rides in a dog sled during Operation Santa Claus in Venetie, Alaska.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

Participants in the Santa Claus World Championships push a donkey in the donkey trekking event in Samnaun, Switzerland.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

Santas meet in Europapark to set new world record in Rust, Germany.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

Actor Jackie Chan tries out the Santa Claus look at an appearance in Berlin.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

Santa Claus at Christmas market in Dresden, Germany.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

Two boys cry as they are held by Santa Claus in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

A Vietnamese man dressed as Santa Claus delivers gifts on his motorbike in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

Peruvian traffic police officers dressed as Santa Claus ride a motorcycle.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

Palestinian Christian children dressed in Santa Claus suits ring bells outside the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

A US Postal worker dressed as Santa Claus sits in truck in Washington, D.C.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

A girl cries on Santa Claus' lap.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

Elephants dressed like Santa Claus dance in Ayuthaya province in Thailand.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

A Crested Butte Mountain Resort employee dressed as Santa Claus skies in the Elk Mountain Range in Colorado.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

Santa Clauses march in a parade for the annual Santa Claus Congress in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

Santa helpers slide down an ice hill at the annual Santa Claus convention in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

A Santa Claus arrives in his beach attire with donkey Dino outside Harrods store to promote new Christmas department in London.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

A girl takes hat from man dressed as Santa Claus in Arlington, Va.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

Runners dressed as Santa Claus at start of Christmas marathon in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

Santa Claus descends from the city hall's belfry at Douai in northern France.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

A police officer dressed as Santa Claus in Manila, Philippines.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

A blow-up Santa Claus on the balcony of a house in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

John Wooten, self-titled as the "World's Strongest Man," pulls an eighteen wheel tractor trailer truck while dressed as Santa in Opa-locka, Fla.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

Santa Claus sits at a writing table in "Christmas post office" in Himmelpfort, Germany.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

A girl looks at Santa Claus display at a shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

Volunteer workers dressed in Santa Claus outfits release balloons in Seoul, South Korea.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

South Korean postmen dressed as Santa Claus ride on delivery bikes in Seoul, South Korea.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

A 100-foot-long Santa Claus sand sculpture on Puri Golden Beach in India.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

Original Santa Claus and Rudolph puppets from the "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" television special.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Graphics Bank

A demonstrator dressed as Santa Claus solicits donations as a tourist take a photo at the Occupy Wall Street encampment at Zucotti Park in Manhattan on Nov. 4, 2011 in New York.

Special section: Eye on Parenting
Holiday Season 2011

Credit: AP Photo/Mary Altaffer