While most people in the northern hemisphere were indoors, bundled up against the cold, a few brave (or foolhardy) souls were celebrating the festive season by diving into frozen lakes or paddling in frigid oceans.
More than 1,000 winter swimmers, many in fancy dress, took part in the annual Loony Dook Swim in the River Forth in South Queensferry, Scotland, where the air temperature hovered around zero degrees Celsius.
Swimmers react to the temperature of the water in the River Forth during the annual Loony Dook Swim in South Queensferry, ScotlandJeff J Mitchell/Getty ImagesCostumed swimmers bathe in front of the Forth Rail Bridge during the annual Loony Dook Swim in the River Forth in South Queensferry, Scotland, on New Year's DayJeff J Mitchell/Getty ImagesA woman reacts to the cold water as she takes part in the annual Loony Dook Swim in the River Forth in South Queensferry, ScotlandJeff J Mitchell/Getty ImagesMembers of the public wearing fancy dress react to the water as they join around 1,100 New Year's Day swimmers in front of the Forth Rail Bridge during the annual Loony Dook SwimJeff J Mitchell/Getty ImagesSwimmers participate in the New Year's Day Loony Dook swim at South Queensferry in ScotlandRussell Cheyne/Reuters
Across the Atlantic, much of the US is experiencing record low temperatures, but that didn't stop the annual Polar Bear Club swims in cities such as Boston and New York. In Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, organisers said they had to use chain saws to break through the ice on what was one of the coldest plunges on record. The temperature of the water at Coney Island in New York was less than 3 degrees Celsius (37F), but that was warmer than the air temperature (minus 8 C).
Women react as they plunge into the Atlantic Ocean on New Year's Day at Coney Island in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. The air temperature at the time of the swim was 17 degrees Fahrenheit (Minus 8 Celsius)Yana Paskova/Getty ImagesA member of the Polar Bear Club makes an annual icy plunge into the Atlantic Ocean at Coney Island in the Brooklyn borough of New York CityYana Paskova/Getty ImagesMen react after going into the ocean during the annual New Year's Day L Street Brownies Polar Bear Plunge in Boston, Massachusetts, where the air temperatures was zero degrees Fahrenheit (minus 18 Celsius)Brian Snyder/ReutersA man reacts as he emerges from the Atlantic at Coney Island in New York, where the air temperature was 17 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 8 Celsius)Yana Paskova/Getty ImagesSwimmers run into the water of the Atlantic Ocean during the Coney Island Polar Bear Club New Year's Day Plunge in Brooklyn, New York CityStephanie Keith/Reuters
IBTimes UK presents a gallery of winter swimmers taking the plunge around the world.
A woman wearing a Santa hat dives into a hole in the ice covering a lake in Shenyang in China's northeastern Liaoning province on Christmas DayAFPA woman wearing a Santa hat swims in a partly frozen lake in Shenyang in China's northeastern Liaoning province on Christmas DayAFPA swimmer emerges from the North Sea in Redcar, North Yorkshire, on Boxing DayIan Forsyth/Getty ImagesSwimmers wearing nun costumes take part in the annual Boxing Day dip in Redcar, North YorkshireIan Forsyth/Getty ImagesA swimmer participates in the annual Boxing Day winter swimming competition in the Vltava river in Prague, Czech RepublicDavid W Cerny/ReutersA man gives the thumbs-up as he takes part in the traditional Boxing Day swim in the Vltava river in PragueMichal Cizek/AFPPeople run into a rough sea during the New Year's Day swim in Ystad, SwedenTT News Agency/Johan Nilsson/ReutersPeople jump in the cold water during a traditional New Year swim in the Adriatic sea in Portoroz, SloveniaJure Makovec/AFPWomen jump into the Adriatic sea during a traditional New Year's Day event in Portoroz, SloveniaJure Makovec/AFPWinter swimmers bathe in Orankesee lake in Berlin, where higher-than-average temperatures meant no ice for the annual New Year's Day traditionAdam Berry/Getty ImagesA man swims in a frozen lake in Beijing on New Year's DayGreg Baker/AFP
