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In
New York City, where temperatures hovered around freezing, the
fermented merriment kicked off around 10 a.m. and was slated to
stretch into the evening.
Santas – along with people dressed as Grinches, elves or other
holiday characters – strolled to bars and clubs from midtown
Manhattan to the East Village, flooding the streets with a
crimson tide of Christmas cheer.
“The NYC SantaCon is a charitable, non-commercial,
non-political, nonsensical Santa Claus convention that happens
once a year to spread absurdist joy,” the organizers’ website
explained.
SantaCon participants are encouraged to donate $15 to enter
participating venues. Organizers say the money will go to
charity.
Similar Christmas-themed booze fests were being held Saturday in
about 50 cities around the globe, including London, Phoenix,
Winnipeg and San Francisco. Some placed held their SantaCons on
Friday, last weekend or late last month. More are scheduled
throughout December.
New York City police posted reminders on social media that open
containers are prohibited in the streets and that blocking
pedestrian and car traffic can lead to a summons. They also
encouraged people attending the event to have a designated
driver.
Commuter rail lines in the region banned passengers from
drinking on board.
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