h. nazan ışık—
9 December 2018—
What is SantaCon?
“Santacon is a charitable, non-commercial, non-political, nonsensical Santa Claus convention that happens once a year to spread absurdist joy,” says SantaCon official website. And it gives the list of the participating bars for going from one to other one.
This year, SantaCon took place on Saturday, 8 December, and started at 10:00am on a very, very cold day.
I went out about 1:00 pm to East Midtown area where, I knew, on Second Avenue and 52nd street there were some Irish Bars on both side of the avenue.
And, saw some red-suited people crossing the street.
SantaCon has a reputation that people in the Santa costume, go from bar to bar.
And, some people were coming to the opposite side, to a bar that other people just left. I must say all were jaywalking.
It was very cold, but apparently not for every reveler.
Some Santas preferred to stay inside.
I continued to walk to 42nd Street.
Noticed two people in Santa-dress were greeting each other with open arms and a big smile.
They didn’t even stop, carried on walking. I am not sure if they knew each other, or it was the spirit of SantaCon.
It was 5:30 pm. Some revelers were having late lunch or early dinner. Pizza was their choice.
Pizza again, but this group had it in a restaurant.
I can’t say that I saw any drunken Santa in Midtown area.
They were smiling, laughing, posing for the camera, saying, “Have a happy one ”, “Enjoy your day!” but not drunken.
A Santa-costumed one noticed me looking at a different looking Santa.
A Santa-dressed person was walking alone on 3rd Avenue. It was about 6:30 pm. Was it time for him to go home? Or, was it time to meet his friends at another bar?
Well, for me, it was definitely time to go home…I was freezing.
Photos © h. nazan ışık /NKENdiKEN