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[[Image:Drinks (3106214344).jpg|thumb|300px|SantaCon in Manhattan, 2008]]
[[Image:Drinks (3106214344).jpg|thumb|300px|SantaCon in Manhattan, 2008]]
'''SantaCon''' is an annual [[pub crawl]] in which thousands of persons dressed as [[Santa Claus]] descend upon neighborhoods in [[New York City|New York]] and other cities. It is also known as Santarchy, Santa Rampage, the Red Menace and Santapalooza.<ref>{{cite web|last=Donaldson James|first=Susan|title=Santa Con: Kringle Chaos is Coming to Town|url=http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/santacon-means-cheap-santa-suits-christmas-cheer-holiday/story?id=9302255|publisher=ABC News|accessdate=December 18, 2011|date=December 11, 2009}}</ref>
'''SantaCon''' is an annual costumed holiday event in which thousands of persons dressed as [[Santa Claus]] come to neighborhoods in [[New York City|New York]] and hundreds of other cities across the world. Large Santacons are successfully held in London, Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland Oregon.
It is also known as Santarchy, Santa Rampage and Santapalooza.<ref>{{cite web|last=Donaldson James|first=Susan|title=Santa Con: Kringle Chaos is Coming to Town|url=http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/santacon-means-cheap-santa-suits-christmas-cheer-holiday/story?id=9302255|publisher=ABC News|accessdate=December 18, 2011|date=December 11, 2009}}</ref>

⚫
The event is described by its organizers as “a nonsensical Santa Claus convention that happens once a year for absolutely no reason.”<ref name="Time -2013">{{cite news | url=http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/12/16/naughty-or-nice-santacon-2013-storms-manhattan/ | title=Naughty or Nice? SantaCon 2013 Storms Manhattan | work=TIME | date=16-December-2013 | accessdate=16 December 2013}}</ref> Critics, however, cite widespread drunkenness and sporadic violence, with ''[[Business Insider]]'' calling it a "dreaded annual event where frat house expats wreck havoc on the city dressed as the jolly holiday icon."<ref name=Moss>{{cite news|last=Moss|first=Caroline|title=A Bunch Of Santas Got Into A Violent Brawl On An NYC Street Corner This Weekend|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/santa-brawl-during-santacon-2013-12|accessdate=16 December 2013|newspaper=Business Insider|date=16 December 2013}}</ref>


⚫
The event is described by its organizers as “a nonsensical Santa Claus convention that happens once a year for absolutely no reason.”<ref name="Time -2013">{{cite news | url=http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/12/16/naughty-or-nice-santacon-2013-storms-manhattan/ | title=Naughty or Nice? SantaCon 2013 Storms Manhattan | work=TIME | date=16-December-2013 | accessdate=16 December 2013}}</ref>
Santacon NYC donates thousands of dollars in food or cash donations each year. Other Santacons also give to charity.
It originated in San Francisco in 1994 and has since spread to cities around the world, and now takes place in 300 cities in 44 countries, including New York City. London, Vancouver, Belfast and Moscow.<ref name="Times - 12-14-13"/><ref name="Vancouver">{{cite news | url=http://www.canada.com/life/crawl+Santas+Vancouver+joins+Christmas+spirit+with+SantaCon/9288323/story.html | title=Pub-crawl Santas: Vancouver joins in the Christmas spirit with SantaCon 2013 | work=The Province (Canada.com) | date=12-14-2013 | accessdate=15 December 2013}}</ref> The New York SantaCon is the largest, with an estimated 30,000 people participating in 2012.<ref name="Times-Gilbert">{{cite news|last=Gilbert|first=Jason O.|title=Bring Drunken Santas Under Control|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/13/opinion/ban-santacon.html|accessdate=14 December 2013|newspaper=The New York Times|date=13-December-2013}}</ref><ref name="McCabe - 11-13">{{cite news|last=McCabe|first=Lyndsay|title=NYPD Ask Bar Owners to Refuse to Serve Rowdy SantaCon Revelers|url=http://www.longisland.com/news/11-22-13/nypd-ask-bar-owners-to-refuse-to-serve-rowdy-santacon-revelers.html|accessdate=14 December 2013|newspaper=LongIsland.com|date=22 November 2013}}</ref> Other events were much smaller and more subdued, with 30 participating in [[Spokane, Washington]].<ref name="Spokane 2013">{{cite news | url=http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2013/dec/15/santacon-spokane-a-good-night-indeed/ | title=SantaCon Spokane a good night indeed | work=The Spokesman-Review | date=15 December 2013 | accessdate=16 December 2013 | author=Gillespie, Kaitlin}}</ref>
It originated in San Francisco in 1994 and has since spread to cities around the world, and now takes place in 300 cities in 44 countries, including New York City. London, Vancouver, Belfast and Moscow.<ref name="Times - 12-14-13"/><ref name="Vancouver">{{cite news | url=http://www.canada.com/life/crawl+Santas+Vancouver+joins+Christmas+spirit+with+SantaCon/9288323/story.html | title=Pub-crawl Santas: Vancouver joins in the Christmas spirit with SantaCon 2013 | work=The Province (Canada.com) | date=12-14-2013 | accessdate=15 December 2013}}</ref> The New York SantaCon is the largest, with an estimated 30,000 people participating in 2012.<ref name="Times-Gilbert">{{cite news|last=Gilbert|first=Jason O.|title=Bring Drunken Santas Under Control|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/13/opinion/ban-santacon.html|accessdate=14 December 2013|newspaper=The New York Times|date=13-December-2013}}</ref><ref name="McCabe - 11-13">{{cite news|last=McCabe|first=Lyndsay|title=NYPD Ask Bar Owners to Refuse to Serve Rowdy SantaCon Revelers|url=http://www.longisland.com/news/11-22-13/nypd-ask-bar-owners-to-refuse-to-serve-rowdy-santacon-revelers.html|accessdate=14 December 2013|newspaper=LongIsland.com|date=22 November 2013}}</ref> Other events were much smaller and more subdued, with 30 participating in [[Spokane, Washington]].<ref name="Spokane 2013">{{cite news | url=http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2013/dec/15/santacon-spokane-a-good-night-indeed/ | title=SantaCon Spokane a good night indeed | work=The Spokesman-Review | date=15 December 2013 | accessdate=16 December 2013 | author=Gillespie, Kaitlin}}</ref>


In New York City, where it has taken place since 1997, it as has come under widespread criticism for rowdiness by participants, with drunken behavior that has disrupted parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn, and led to calls for the event to be ended and for participant misbehavior to be curbed. Police Commissioner [[Raymond Kelly]] said that despite "some rowdy actions by a small handful of people in the past," SantaCon was "an event that we support. It’s what makes New York New York."<ref name="Times - 12-14-13">{{cite news|last=Santora|first=Marc|title=Naughty or Nice? Not Everyone Is Jolly About SantaCon Coming to Town|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/14/nyregion/when-santacon-comes-to-town-cheer-mixes-with-dread.html?_r=0|accessdate=14 December 2013|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=13 December 2013}}</ref><ref name=Times-Gilbert /><ref name="DailyNews-23 Nov">{{cite news|last=Parascandola|first=Rocco|title=NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly: SantaCon is a 'peaceful event' department supports|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ray-kelly-santacon-nypd-support-article-1.1526638|accessdate=14 December 2013|newspaper=The Daily News|date=23-November-2013}}</ref><ref name="Gothamist - 24 Nov 2013">{{cite news|last=Chung|first=Jen|title=Ray Kelly Says NYPD Supports Santacon: 'It Makes New York New York'|url=http://gothamist.com/2013/11/24/ray_kelly_says_nypd_supports_santac.php|accessdate=14 December 2013|newspaper=Gothamist|date=24 November 2013}}</ref><ref name="Gothamist - 2011" />
In New York City, where it has taken place since 1997, it has given a huge amount of money to local charities. It delights adults and children with its whimsical merriment. Police Commissioner [[Raymond Kelly]] said that despite "some rowdy actions by a small handful of people in the past," SantaCon was "an event that we support. It’s what makes New York New York."<ref name="Times - 12-14-13">{{cite news|last=Santora|first=Marc|title=Naughty or Nice? Not Everyone Is Jolly About SantaCon Coming to Town|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/14/nyregion/when-santacon-comes-to-town-cheer-mixes-with-dread.html?_r=0|accessdate=14 December 2013|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=13 December 2013}}</ref><ref name=Times-Gilbert /><ref name="DailyNews-23 Nov">{{cite news|last=Parascandola|first=Rocco|title=NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly: SantaCon is a 'peaceful event' department supports|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ray-kelly-santacon-nypd-support-article-1.1526638|accessdate=14 December 2013|newspaper=The Daily News|date=23-November-2013}}</ref><ref name="Gothamist - 24 Nov 2013">{{cite news|last=Chung|first=Jen|title=Ray Kelly Says NYPD Supports Santacon: 'It Makes New York New York'|url=http://gothamist.com/2013/11/24/ray_kelly_says_nypd_supports_santac.php|accessdate=14 December 2013|newspaper=Gothamist|date=24 November 2013}}</ref><ref name="Gothamist - 2011" />


==Origins==
==Origins==
[[File:Santacon band SSP 2011-12-10 1253 jeh.theora.ogv|thumb|New York City, 2011, 20 secs video]]
[[File:Santacon band SSP 2011-12-10 1253 jeh.theora.ogv|thumb|New York City, 2011, 20 secs video]]
SantaCon was inspired by the Danish activist theatre group Solvognen. In 1974, the group gathered dozens of "Santas" to hand out items from the shelves of a department store to customers as “presents.” The first SantaCon took place in San Francisco in 1994. Participants dress up as Santa Claus, and also as elves and reindeer. The event was described by ''[[The New York Times]]'' as "a daylong bar crawl that begins with good cheer and, for many, inevitably ends in a blurry, booze-soaked haze.<ref name="Times - 12-14-13"/>
SantaCon was inspired by the Danish activist theatre group Solvognen. In 1974, the group gathered dozens of "Santas" to hand out items from the shelves of a department store to customers as “presents.” The first SantaCon took place in San Francisco in 1994. Participants joyfully dressed up as Santa Claus and also as elves and reindeer.

==Participant donations and charitable giving==

In 2013 dozens of venues at NYC Santacon donated a 25% of their sales to charities. Participants donated $10 each.

In 2012, sixty venues who participated in NYC SantaCon donated $45,000 to the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation.
In 2012, sixty venues who participated in NYC SantaCon donated $45,000 to the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation.
Organizers said NYC SantaCon also donated roughly 6,850 pounds of canned food to City Harvest.<ref name=DNA-2012/>
Organizers said NYC SantaCon also donated roughly 6,850 pounds of canned food to City Harvest.<ref name=DNA-2012/>


==Participant conduct and community opposition==
==Participant conduct and community opposition==

While the overwhelming public reaction to SantaCon is positive, a very small number of vocal not in my backyard critics that hate parties, young people and recreation involving alcohol have raised shrill voices in protest.
[[File:Nyc santacon 05 mta.jpg|thumb|left|New York subway notice, 2005 SantaCon]]
[[File:Nyc santacon 05 mta.jpg|thumb|left|New York subway notice, 2005 SantaCon]]
[[File:Santa Sale.jpg|thumb|Revelers in New York, 2008]]
[[File:Santa Sale.jpg|thumb|Revelers in New York, 2008]]
SantaCon participants have been criticized for widespread rowdiness and public drunkiness. During the New York City SantaCon in 2012, participants "left a trail of trouble" through [[Hell's Kitchen]], [[Midtown Manhattan]], the [[East Village, Manhattan|East Village]] and [[Williamsburg, Brooklyn|Williamsburg]].<ref name=DNA-2012>{{cite news|title=Drunk Santas Terrorized City During Seasonal Rampage, Critics Say|url=http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20121218/hells-kitchen-clinton/drunk-santas-terrorized-city-during-seasonal-rampage-critics-say|accessdate=14 December 2013|newspaper=DNAInfo New York|date=18 December 2012}}</ref> Residents complained revelers vomited and urinated in the street and fought with each other.<ref name="Daily News - 4 December">{{cite news|last=Tracy|first=Thomas|title=SantaCon organizers working with politicians, police to turn naughty event nice|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/santacon-organizers-work-pols-police-article-1.1537609|accessdate=14 December 2013|newspaper=The Daily News|date=4 Decemmber 2013}}</ref> In New York City, one source of tension with residents was that most revelers resided outside of the city and the neighborhoods in which they bar-crawled and became inebriated. <ref name=Semuels>{{cite news|last=Semuels|first=Alana|title=SantaCon, after last year's rowdy event, divides New York City|url=http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-santacon-divides-new-york-city-20131213,0,836946.story#axzz2nYuKSF7x|accessdate=15 December 2013|newspaper=Lost Angeles Times|date=13 December 2013}}</ref>

In an article on the 2011 SantaCon, ''[[Gothamist]]'' called SantaCon an "annual drunken shitshow" that "has steadily devolved from cleverly subversive to barely tolerable to 'time to lock yourself in your apartment for the day.' "<ref name="Gothamist - 2011">{{cite news|last=Del Signore|first=John|title=It's Time For SantaCon To Stop|url=http://gothamist.com/2011/12/12/its_time_for_santacon_to_stop.php|accessdate=14 December 2013|newspaper=Gothamist|date=12 December 2011}}</ref> An op-ed in ''[[The New York Times]]''
<nowiki> </nowiki>on the eve of the 2013 SantaCon criticized it for "sexism, drunkenness, xenophobia, homophobia
and enough incidents of public vomiting and urination to fill an infinite dunk tank," and said it "contributes absolutely zero value — cultural, artistic, aesthetic, diversionary, culinary or political — to
its host neighborhood. Quite simply, SantaCon is a parasite."<ref name="Times-Gilbert"/>

A New York City Police Department lieutenant in the [[Hell’s Kitchen]] neighborhood, sent an open letter to neighborhood taverns in 2013 which said, “Having thousands of intoxicated partygoers roam the streets urinating, littering, vomiting and vandalizing will not be tolerated in our neighborhood.” On the [[Lower East Side]] of Manhattan, residents posted notices telling SantaCon participants to stay away, saying “Alcohol Soaked Father Christmas-themed flash mob not welcome here. Take your body fluids and public intoxication elsewhere.”<ref name="Times - 12-14-13"/><ref name="Time -2013"/> Prior to the 2013 SantaCon, city authorities demanded advance notice of the route of the pub crawl.<ref name="VVoice-2013">{{cite news | url=http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2013/12/santacon_lower_east_village_brooklyn.php | title=Like it or Not, SantaCon is Coming to the East Village, Lower East Side & Brooklyn | work=Village Voice | date=12-14-2013 | accessdate=15 December 2013 | author=Stuart, Tessa}}</ref> The event was diverted from the Lower East Side and Midtown Manhattan because of complaints by residents,but went through East Village and parts of Brooklyn as originally planned.<ref name="Channel 4-13 Dec">{{cite news|title=SantaCon Nixes Lower East Side from Route After Complaints|url=http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/SantaCon-Bar-Crawl-Skips-Lower-East-Side-Pressure-Residents-Bars-Ban-235805971.html|accessdate=14 December 2013|newspaper=Channel 4 New York|date=13 December 2013}}</ref><ref name="DNA-info-12-14">{{cite news | url=http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20131214/east-village/santacon-sweeps-east-village-up-wake-of-crowded-bars-long-lines | title=SantaCon Takes East Village in Flurry of Crowded Bars and Beer Lines | work=DNAInfo | date=12-14-2013 | accessdate=15 December 2013 | author=Goldensohn,Rosa}}</ref>

During the 2013 SantaCon in New York City, the [[Long Island Rail Road]], [[Metro-North Railroad]] and [[New Jersey Transit]] banned alcohol consumption on their trains for 24 hours.<ref name="Times - 12-14-13"/>
[[File:Santacon 2006 166.jpg|thumb|300px|SantaCon in Atlanta, 2006]]
A SantaCon organizer said that the group was "very aware of the backlash" and has sought to curb participant misconduct by the use of "helper elves" along the SantaCon route.<ref name="Times - 12-14-13"/> ''Gothamist'' reported that the 2013 SantaCon was more subdued than in the past because of a greater police presence and increased issuance of summonses.<ref name="Gothamist - 12-15-13">{{cite news | url=http://gothamist.com/2013/12/15/watch_santacon_videos_to_remind_you.php | title=Here's Your SantaCon 2013 Video Nightmare Roundup | work=Gothamist | date=12-15-13 | accessdate=16 December 2013 | author=Yakas, Ben}}</ref>

==See also==
==See also==
* [[Pub crawls]]
* [[Pub crawls]]
Line 42: Line 36:
* [http://gothamist.com/2013/12/15/photos_the_faces_of_santacon_2013.php#photo-1 Gothamist: The Faces of SantaCon 2013]
* [http://gothamist.com/2013/12/15/photos_the_faces_of_santacon_2013.php#photo-1 Gothamist: The Faces of SantaCon 2013]
* [http://santarchy.com Santarchy, A Global Directory of Santacon Events]
* [http://santarchy.com Santarchy, A Global Directory of Santacon Events]
* [http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/SantaCon-Lower-East-Side-Residents-235679781.html WNBC-TV Segment on Lower East Side Opposition]
* [http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/dec/14/santacon-bars-alcohol-drunk-disorderly-new-york "The dark side of Father Christmas: SantaCon," ''The Guardian'']
* [http://www.businessinsider.com/the-real-reason-why-santa-con-sucks-2013-12 "SantaCon Could Be Awesome, But Here's The Core Reason Why It's Atrocious," BusinessInsider.com]
* [http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/santa-clad-men-fight-union-square-article-1.1548553 Video of SantaCon Brawl, 2013]
{{commons category|Santacon}}
{{Christmas}}

[[Category:Christmas events and celebrations]]
[[Category:Christmas events and celebrations]]
[[Category:Pub crawls]]
[[Category:Pub crawls]]

Revision as of 21:29, 17 December 2013

SantaCon in Manhattan, 2008

SantaCon is an annual costumed holiday event in which thousands of persons dressed as Santa Claus come to neighborhoods in New York and hundreds of other cities across the world. Large Santacons are successfully held in London, Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland Oregon. It is also known as Santarchy, Santa Rampage and Santapalooza.[1]

The event is described by its organizers as “a nonsensical Santa Claus convention that happens once a year for absolutely no reason.”[2] Santacon NYC donates thousands of dollars in food or cash donations each year. Other Santacons also give to charity. It originated in San Francisco in 1994 and has since spread to cities around the world, and now takes place in 300 cities in 44 countries, including New York City. London, Vancouver, Belfast and Moscow.[3][4] The New York SantaCon is the largest, with an estimated 30,000 people participating in 2012.[5][6] Other events were much smaller and more subdued, with 30 participating in Spokane, Washington.[7]

In New York City, where it has taken place since 1997, it has given a huge amount of money to local charities. It delights adults and children with its whimsical merriment. Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said that despite "some rowdy actions by a small handful of people in the past," SantaCon was "an event that we support. It’s what makes New York New York."[3][5][8][9][10]

Origins

New York City, 2011, 20 secs video

SantaCon was inspired by the Danish activist theatre group Solvognen. In 1974, the group gathered dozens of "Santas" to hand out items from the shelves of a department store to customers as “presents.” The first SantaCon took place in San Francisco in 1994. Participants joyfully dressed up as Santa Claus and also as elves and reindeer.

Participant donations and charitable giving

In 2013 dozens of venues at NYC Santacon donated a 25% of their sales to charities. Participants donated $10 each.

In 2012, sixty venues who participated in NYC SantaCon donated $45,000 to the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. Organizers said NYC SantaCon also donated roughly 6,850 pounds of canned food to City Harvest.[11]

Participant conduct and community opposition

While the overwhelming public reaction to SantaCon is positive, a very small number of vocal not in my backyard critics that hate parties, young people and recreation involving alcohol have raised shrill voices in protest.

File:Nyc santacon 05 mta.jpg
New York subway notice, 2005 SantaCon
Revelers in New York, 2008

See also

References

  1. ^ Donaldson James, Susan (December 11, 2009). "Santa Con: Kringle Chaos is Coming to Town". ABC News. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  2. ^ "Naughty or Nice? SantaCon 2013 Storms Manhattan". TIME. 16-December-2013. Retrieved 16 December 2013. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ a b Santora, Marc (13 December 2013). "Naughty or Nice? Not Everyone Is Jolly About SantaCon Coming to Town". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  4. ^ "Pub-crawl Santas: Vancouver joins in the Christmas spirit with SantaCon 2013". The Province (Canada.com). 12-14-2013. Retrieved 15 December 2013. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ^ a b Gilbert, Jason O. (13-December-2013). "Bring Drunken Santas Under Control". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 December 2013. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ McCabe, Lyndsay (22 November 2013). "NYPD Ask Bar Owners to Refuse to Serve Rowdy SantaCon Revelers". LongIsland.com. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  7. ^ Gillespie, Kaitlin (15 December 2013). "SantaCon Spokane a good night indeed". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
  8. ^ Parascandola, Rocco (23-November-2013). "NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly: SantaCon is a 'peaceful event' department supports". The Daily News. Retrieved 14 December 2013. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  9. ^ Chung, Jen (24 November 2013). "Ray Kelly Says NYPD Supports Santacon: 'It Makes New York New York'". Gothamist. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference Gothamist - 2011 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference DNA-2012 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
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