SYDNEY - A group of 320 surfing Santas in Australia have set a new world record at the nation's most popular beach in a display that is quintessentially an Australian Christmas.

As the Aussie Christmas carol by Lesley Sabogal goes: "Christmas where the gum trees grow, there is not frost and there is no snow. Christmas in Australia's hot, cold and frosty is what it's not," locals flock to beaches and watering holes to cool off over summer.

Sydney's famous Bondi Beach became a sea of red and white late Tuesday, and 320 jolly surfers donning Santa costumes set a new Guinness World Record for a mass 30-minute surfing lesson to help raise awareness for mental health issues.

"It's good, it's awesome, a lot of people, a lot of fun, a lot of energy, (it's) exciting," one surfing Santa told the BBC.

The group organising the surf lesson is also responsible for "Fluro Fridays" where surfers dress up in colorful and outrageous outfits to help break the stigma of mental health.