Weather 
They’re painting Manhattan red.
SantaCon 2025 officially touches down in NYC on December 13, meaning that the streets of Manhattan will soon be invaded by an army of Kris Kingle cosplayers jonesing for a drink.
Running from 10 a.m. -8 p.m., this festive event is expected to see thousands of knockoff Saint Nicks and other Christmas characters embarking on a booze-filled bar crawl — like a Yuletide running of the bulls.
As a service to revelers, we’ve provided a complete guide to the event so people can either join — or avoid — the Santa tsunami this year.
What is SantaCon?
SantaCon started in 1994 in San Francisco as Santarchy — an event satirizing Christmastime consumerism — the event has since grown into a tradition across the world, with the biggest and most festive event occurring in NYC.
For the laypeople, the merry-thon essentially involves revelers descending on the NYC streets dressed as a variety of Christmas characters from reindeer to elves, although the most popular of whom is — you guessed it — the big man himself.
As the organizers put it, “SantaCon is a charitable, non-political, nonsensical Santa Claus convention that happens once a year to spread absurdist joy.”
The X-mas congregation amasses at a secret starting point — generally somewhere between Broadway and West 39th Street — and then follows a route of participating bars and venues throughout the day.
The path of their shot-sleighing stampede is revealed in real time via their “Hello Santa NYC” app and social media pages. Keeping this sauced Santa route a secret is apparently part of the fun of this ho-ho-hodown.
Those looking to walk this tipple-tinged road to debauchery can purchase a ticket for $17, the proceeds of which go to charity.
In the past, SantaCon has partnered with the CityParks Foundation, The Children’s Heart Foundation, City Harvest, The Ali Forney Center, The Secret Sandy Claus Project, Neighbors Together, Dance Parade New York, and Materials for the Arts.
Although some funds have gone to Burning Man and Crypto, per Gothamist.
Tips for staying off the naughty list
Of course, organizers offer a few tips to ensure this wacky Kris Kringle convention doesn’t devolve into a Bad Santa brawl like something out of “Jingle All The Way.”
The number one Santa “clause?” Bring cash. Bars get slammed, meaning that bringing brick-and-mortar money means less waiting and more merrymaking.
Rule number two of SantaCon: get gussied up head-to-mistletoe in Christmas regalia — and don’t just throw on a hat like a late arrival at the office Christmas party.
The SantaCon commandments also forbid participants from fighting, littering, urinating in the streets, climbing on cars, and consuming too much booze.
“Santa does not drink more than Santa can handle,” they write. “Doing so endangers Santa’s self, Santa’s friends, and the future of Santacon.”
