Photos: SantaCon storms NYC

By Jonathan Shannon Mon Dec 13 2010

  • Photograph: Bill Kennedy

    Santacon2010BK41

  • Photograph: Laila Rodriguez

    Santacon2010LR53

  • Photograph: Marc Whalen

    Santacon2010MW01

  • Photograph: Bill Kennedy

    Santacon2010BK11

  • Photograph: Bill Kennedy

    Santacon2010BK12

  • Photograph: Bill Kennedy

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  • Photograph: Bill Kennedy

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  • Photograph: Bill Kennedy

    Santacon2010BK42

  • Photograph: Laila Rodriguez

    Santacon2010LR52

  • Photograph: Marc Whalen

    Santacon2010MW45

  • Photograph: Bill Kennedy

    Santacon2010BK19

  • Photograph: Kirill Kourtchikov

    Santacon2010KK38

  • Photograph: Marc Whalen

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  • Photograph: Marc Whalen

    Santacon2010MW05

  • Photograph: Bill Kennedy

    Santacon2010BK20

  • Photograph: Bill Kennedy

    Santacon2010BK21

  • Photograph: Bill Kennedy

    Santacon2010BK23

  • Photograph: Marc Whalen

    Santacon2010MW06

  • Photograph: Marc Whalen

    Santacon2010MW07

  • Photograph: Marc Whalen

    Santacon2010MW08

  • Photograph: Kirill Kourtchikov

    Santacon2010KK30

  • Photograph: Kirill Kourtchikov

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  • Photograph: Kirill Kourtchikov

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  • Photograph: Kirill Kourtchikov

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  • Photograph: Kirill Kourtchikov

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  • Photograph: Kirill Kourtchikov

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  • Photograph: Kirill Kourtchikov

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  • Photograph: Kirill Kourtchikov

    Santacon2010KK44

  • Photograph: Bill Kennedy

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  • Photograph: Bill Kennedy

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  • Photograph: Bill Kennedy

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    Fort Knox Five

  • Photograph: Bill Kennedy

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    Fort Knox Five

  • Photograph: Bill Kennedy

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    Fort Knox Five

Photograph: Bill Kennedy

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Did you come across the annual flash mob of so-jolly-we-wonder-what-they're-on Santas? Because we did. We exited the subway at Court Street on Saturday along with a pack of marauding St. Nicks and scurried to the safety of the elevators with another gentleman and a family with two small kids. We made it through the doors and turned to face the advancing horde. Do you remember the scene in Terminator 2: Judgement Day when Sarah and John Connor and Arnie are escaping from Pescadero State Hospital and have to endure slowly closing elevator doors while the T-1000 advances? For a New York minute, I felt the same terror. But while the Santas may be boisterous, they're polite, and veered off to take their own elevator. So, to the merry band of revelers out in force, we salute you. We also salute the mother of the family who, with a wry glint in her eye, asked "why don't they go back to Jersey" after the doors closed. Oh snap! (But we bet she gets coal in her stocking this year.)

Let us know if you had an encounter with SantaCon in the comments, and if you didn't, observe the carnage from a safe distance in time-space with these photos from TONY photographers, including scenes from Fort Knox Five's Santa-hat-wearing performance at (Le) Poisson Rouge.

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  • I came across this on Satuday night when meeting a bunch of in-state and out-of-state friends for dinner in the West Village. Santas, and a few elves and Christmas trees, were swarming Greenwich Avenue - one restaurant I passed was filled almost entirely with Santas as customers. Somehow despite living in NYC for the past 17 years I never heard about SantaCon. People at my office are still talking about it!

    Susan Tue Dec 14 2010
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  • My 3 year old son and I came across a ton of Santas at the Columbus Circle subway stop! They were chanting "santa, santa, santa" on the platform. My son looked bewildered yet curious!

    Anonymous Tue Dec 14 2010
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  • I came across SantaCon on the UWS (near the 71st and Central Park meeting place) and can't believe this is the first I've heard of this epic event. Here's more about my toddler son and me at SantaCon. http://randomhandprints.blogspot.com/2010/12/more-on-santacon-2010.html

    Anna Tue Dec 14 2010
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