New Year’s Eve is usually celebrated by going out to parties, or spending quality time with your family and loved ones. Others, on the other hand, like their New Year’s Celebration a bit more cold. For Southern California residents, some of them to be more exact, the perfect way to embrace the New Year is through a quick swim in an icy lake.

The dips were part of the annual Polar Bear Swim tradition, held every year. These kind of events are usually organized for charitable purposes, where people face the body’s natural impulse to not go in the icy water.

Polar Bear Plunges seem to be great fun, but could be dangerous to those suffering from a heart condition. The events are closely observed by paramedics which know that sudden change in body temperature may have other effects than a momentarily thrill.

One of the dipping places Thursday was at the Hansen Dam Aquatic Center in Lake View Terrace. Swimmers headed across the dam's nearly 2-acre man-made lake. Other similar events were hosted in at Huntington Beach, Cabrillo Beach and Venice Beach.

It might sound like a terrible experience to go through, swimming naked through icy water, but the entire experience might be more fun than it sounds like.

 It’s all about facing your fears and taking absolute control of your body and mind. Who wouldn’t want to start a New Year knowing that their body and mind is under their total control, and fear was just an easy to pass obstacle?