PHOTOS: Merry Christmas, 1,004 Santas spread cheer across Seoul
By Yoo Na-hyunPosted : December 25, 2025, 09:47Updated : December 25, 2025, 09:47
Volunteers toss Santa hats into the air during the “Secret Santa Campaign” in Seoul on Dec. 24, 2025. AJP Yoo Na-hyun
SEOUL, December 25 (AJP) - “Merry Christmas!” Bright and spirited voices rang out as volunteers dressed as Santa Claus gathered in the heart of Seoul.
On Tuesday afternoon, volunteers in Santa costumes held a send-off ceremony along Yonsei-ro in Seodaemun District. Marking Christmas Eve, 1,004 Santas set out across the capital to visit underprivileged children, practicing year-end giving and social solidarity.
Volunteers pose for photos during the “Secret Santa Campaign” in Seoul on Dec. 24, 2025. AJP Yoo Na-hyun
Hosted by Korea Youth Foundation, the “2025 Season 20 Secret Santa Campaign” is a large-scale social contribution event in which 1,004 volunteers personally visit an equal number of underprivileged children’s households to deliver gifts and share the warmth of Christmas. Launched in 2006, the campaign marks its 20th anniversary this year.
Volunteers take part in the “Secret Santa Campaign” in Seoul on Dec. 24, 2025. AJP Yoo Na-hyun
A volunteer poses during the “Secret Santa Campaign” in Seoul on Dec. 24, 2025. AJP Yoo Na-hyun
After the ceremony, participants sat along the street to write handwritten letters to the children they were assigned, before heading out to neighborhoods across Seoul.
To take part as a Secret Santa, volunteers donate 20,000 won ($14) toward the children’s gifts and complete pre-event training, becoming “real Santas” for a day. The campaign’s defining feature is that participants combine personal donations with hands-on volunteer service.
A volunteer helps fasten a cape on a fellow volunteer during the “Secret Santa Campaign” in Seoul on Dec. 24, 2025. AJP Yoo Na-hyun
An official from the foundation said the campaign goes beyond gift-giving. “The Secret Santa Campaign symbolizes social solidarity, as members of the community come together to create Christmas for children,” the official said. “We hope this promise, carried on for 20 years, becomes a day the children will remember for a long time.”
Volunteers wrap gifts during the “Secret Santa Campaign” in Seoul on Dec. 24, 2025. AJP Yoo Na-hyun
Volunteers write handwritten letters on the street during the “Secret Santa Campaign” in Seoul on Dec. 24, 2025. AJP Yoo Na-hyun
The Secret Santa Campaign is held nationwide every year and has established itself as a representative year-end volunteer initiative that promotes a culture of sharing and participation through the spirit of Christmas.
Volunteers head out to deliver gifts during the “Secret Santa Campaign” in Seoul on Dec. 24, 2025. AJP Yoo Na-hyun