Copenhagen  - Taking advantage of the seasonal lull, some 150 Santas from a dozen countries gathered Monday for their annual Santa Claus convention.

The three-day convention ends Wednesday when Danish strongman Asbjorn Riis is to be named honorary Santa Claus 2008.

Riis, a professional wrestler, is known from appearances in various reality and wrestling shows and also for a part in the movie The 13th Warrior, starring Antonio Banderas.

The Santas were meeting at the Bakken amusement park near the Danish capital, Copenhagen that has hosted the convention since 1963.

Over the years they have discussed topics ranging from international taxation of gifts to the standard size of a chimney.

Two of the visiting Santas, Bernd Bender of Germany and Albert McCarthy of Malta, said they planned to attend a scheduled event Tuesday when Santas cycle through central Copenhagen.

Organizers said that event aimed to show that Santas are "attentive" to their own health, and so should "people with high body indexes."

Bender, a 51-year-old architect and medical engineer from Aachen, said it was the first convention he attended.

He said he enjoyed seeing children become "speechless and wide- eyed" when - primed by their paresnts - he is able to tell them of their achievements during the past year as well as what they could do better.

In a nod to the environment, the Santas were Tuesday to test the water quality at the Copenhagen harbour front at Fisketorvet.

McCarthy a 65-year-old retired tour operator, said he and other Santas "try to spread goodwill."

Among his stops at Christmas is a drug rehabilitation centre where he hands over gifts from "mothers, girl friends, wives and children."

On Malta he said he doesn't use reindeers when he delivers his gifts, and ends the telephone interview with a hearty "Il-Milied it- Tajjeb" (Merry Christmas). (dpa)