The world's first Santa Claus this Christmas began spreading happiness and joy tonight in Tonga "Where Time Begins."

Shortly before midnight Santa and his jolly elves arrived at the Nuku'alofa Post Office to watch the clock until it hit midnight when Christmas Day 2010 began in the world.

They were joined by a few fairies who happened to float by and attracted a crowd of Christmas Eve revelers who scrambled for lollies.

Before Santa left to spread joy to the world he did a spontaneous belly-wobbling dance.

Santa's sponsor, Little Italy Hotel and Restaurant owner, Angelo Crapanzano, said Santa Claus and his elves had been busy for most of Christmas Eve doing lolly scrambles around Nuku'alofa.

Santa Claus is a regular at Little Italy where this year Sinisa Fifita stepped into Santa's shoes, and one of the elves looked a little bit like his Aunty Meleseini Crapanzano.

Tonga remains 13 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time throughout the year, and is the first country in the world to greet each new day, everyday of the year.

The first Santa in the world this Christmas in Nuku'alofa was also seen on a live web stream from the Post Office to the Netherlands, through the Dutch internet provider XS4ALL. Next week the live web stream will be following the New Year's Eve celebration in front of the Post Office at midnight on December 31, at their website Tonga Time Campaign, and also on their Facebook site when the winner of their Tonga Holiday Competition will be revealed.