Every year, in more than 250 cities across the world, thousands of people descend on the streets of their cities in Christmas-inspired costumes. Most are dressed as Santa Claus; others as elves. The swarm then proceeds to crawl from bar to bar, binge drinking for hours, in an all-day procession called SantaCon.
This year's SantaCon, on Dec. 14, should be no different. But the New York Police Department has had enough.
The NYPD is warning bar owners in certain neighborhoods that many drunken and disorderly Santas will take over their bars and sidewalks on Dec. 14 -- and is encouraging the owners not to let them in.
"Having thousands of intoxicated partygoers roam the streets urinating, littering, vomiting and vandalizing will not be tolerated in our neighborhood," Lt. John Cocchi wrote in a letter addressed to 30 bar owners in his Midtown North Precinct. "The negative impact that this event will bring to your community will far outweigh the short-term benefit to your establishment."
The air is usually festive, but thousands of people drinking all day isn't exactly a recipe for a quiet day on the city streets. Although incidents are almost guaranteed on some level, it remains to be seen if bar owners will take the advice of the police and turn away thousands of potential customers.
A look back at the SantaCons of years past:
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