There was room for plenty more on Elbow Beach, as the traditional Christmas gathering got underway: as of noon, a crowd of perhaps 150 dotted the sands with red Santa hats.

Popular among Bermuda’s overseas workers, the event often fills the beach and its drive to capacity — but also keeps police busy issuing tickets to cars that park along South Road.

This year, the offending stretches of road were vigilantly marked off with cones. Revellers said this, plus grey skies, kept Elbow Beach quieter than usual.

Raising glasses on the beach were repeat visitors Gordon and Mary, both expatriate workers in the financial services sector. A nine-year attendee at the beach on Christmas Day, Gordon said it was a good venue to enjoy the Island with others in the expatriate community.

“Normally it’s packed from 10am to 2pm,” he added.

“Usually it’s so busy you can’t even see everybody,” said Mary. Neither seemed bothered, but both said it was too cold for a swim.

“Give me a wetsuit and I’d go in,” Mary said.

Nearby, Canadians Adam, Kerwin and Teddy had showed up for their first, second and second Christmases respectively.

“It’s nice — I’d do it again next year, hopefully with better weather,” said Adam. “I’d go in the water, but I have to go to work after this.”

The event has led to sour grapes with police in previous years, with dozens of cars ticketed.

This year’s no-parking cones kept the numbers down, according to Teddy.

“There’s nowhere to park,” he said. “Last time the police came, but we could still park all the way down the road.”

Current sea temperatures are just below 69F, but a few Christmas swimmers braved the waves.

According to the Bermuda Weather Service, clouds were expected to thin out later on Christmas Day, with rainy weather forecast for Boxing Day and a relatively sunny weekend.