SantaCon Boston

Boston Santacon 2011: (FINAL UPDATE) T -18 hours ...

2011-12-16T15:08:00.000-08:00

Fresh batteries slipped in our bullhorns with care,
With one day 'til Santacon, we all did prepare!

Flannels were tested against Winter's chill.
Bottles of hydrating fluids were filled.
Lists, and the Route, were checked and checked twice.
Mental notes taken: "To Bar staff be nice!"
The Four F's were gladly committed to heart.
"Mittens! A scarf! Now THAT would be smart!"
Twitters were Tweeted so the Mob could be found.
Trash bags were stashed to keep crap off the ground.

Everyone practiced their Hos and Good Cheer.
At noon time tomorrow: Santacon will be here!

* * *
Heads up, all you Red-Flanneled Fruitcakes! This is probably Santa's final update before he sees you tomorrow!
Quick recap of critical info:

Read ALL relevant details (times, locations, route & rules) posted here on this site!
Google map of Santas route (subject to change at any time) here: goo.gl/UMdJC
Assholes are unwelcome.
CASH: Bring it. That green paper stuff - you need it. Santa can't tell you how much because Santa doesn't know how much cab fare is from Central Square to your bed and Santa doesn't know how many drinks you plan to buy. But here's how to use your green backs:

Drinks: Takes a long time to close 200 tabs on 200 debit cards. Santas get impatient quickly so pleeease plan to pay in CASH.
Cover charges: If you plan to go to Middlesex Lounge, Phoenix Landing or Zuzus, there will be a cover. You don't have to go to those bars. Other bars in Central (Asgard, Tavern in The Square, Miracle of Science, Cantab) also have bands/DJs and won't be charging a cover.
Subway fare & Cab fare: Santa never drives home. Never. Ever.

* * *
Stay warm!

It's tempting to assume our collective hotness will keep us roasty-toasty in this weather, but will that be true at temperatures under 30 degrees? Pleeeaaase prepare accordingly. If you want to know how warm you'll be outside on Saturday, I strongly urge you to put on your costume and go stand outside for five minutes.

Seriously.

* * *
Consider bringing a water bottle
If you've got a water bottle that fits in your bag or your coat pocket, you may want to bring it. Cocktailers and bartenders will be busy fetching boozy goodness. No one should go out drinking for 13 hours without eating and hydrating along the way.

* * *
Double check!
You've got lists. Check them.
You've got the route map and the list of bars. Look at them again and pack it.

If you think you've missed something, check the blog posts. All the info is here somewhere. And if you can't find it, send me an email.

* * *
Part of the greatness of Santacon is bringing a surprise bonus of liquor sales, tips, fun and good cheer to bar staff on an otherwise slow Saturday afternoon. Be patient with and gracious to the bar staff. Show your appreciation with a few extra bucks on their tip. This is what keeps Santa welcomed back year after year. The bar staff are Santa's hosts. 200 unruly Santas are difficult to deal with - disrespecting our hosts is the swiftest way to get Santa unapologetically ejected.

If you get to a bar that's already packed full of Santas, merrily Ho Ho Ho your way to a spill over bar or to the next stop. If you get the sense that Santa isn't welcomed by the bar staff, please encourage Santa to move along. Santa much prefers to hop down to the next closest bar than to piss off an entire establishment's staff and management.

* * *
Four F's
Do NOT forget the Four F's!

Don't fuck with kids!
Don't fuck with cops!
Don't fuck with security!
Don't fuck with Santa!

* * *
Keep it clean!
500+ drunken Santas can leave a hell of a scar on the sidewalk. Please stick a small trash bag in one of your pockets and use it when you see someone "accidentally" drop any trash. Better yet would be if we all picked up after ourselves, or just didn't leave crap behind. But I'm just trying to be realistic here.

* * *
Things To PonderClosing this update with a reprint of the Santacon Guidelines from www.Santacon.info
SANTACON GUIDELINES:

Santa does not make children cry. If you see kids, don't freak them out. Give them a nice smile and a gift (candy etc). Adults are a different matter altogether - adjust based on their attitude.
Santa dresses for all occasions. Smart Santas wear multiple costume layers. Dress to maximize merriment at the North Pole or on a stripper pole.
Santa doesn't whine! We will be outside and walking - bring what you need to keep your pie-hole filled until we get indoors.
Don't be that santa. Drinking with Santa is fun. Babysitting Pukey McAlcoholPoisoning is lame.
Always pay for your drinks and tip the bar staff well. We want to be able to do this again. Be polite and cultivate the goodwill of the local community.
Pay for your drinks as soon as you get them. Santas get tired of waiting for santas to clear their tabs before moving on.
No Santa's left behind! Santa is considerate of his fellow santas. Pick a few people you know and keep an eye out for them. Look for them when it's time to move. If you don't see them, speak up so santa knows to wait a moment.
Stay with the Crimson Tide! It's not just "the more, the merrier" - Santa is safer with large numbers of fellow santas. And waiting for stragglers gets boring awfully quick.
Remember: this is about fun! Most santas take their fun with a little alcohol. However, Santas will be unapologetically ejected for any kind of violent, harassing or intimidating behavior. There is no "Bail Fund" for Incarcerated Santas. If you cross the fun line into asshole land, you'll be on your own.
Santa doesn't drink & drive. If you're going to drink, you must make sure that you can get safely home without driving yourself.
You must address everyone as "Santa".
You should "Ho! Ho! Ho!" like Santa.
You're encouraged to drink like Santa.
You may want to give out gifts like Santa. Maybe naughty gifts to give grown ups; nice gifts to give kids. Throwing coal at people is discouraged, no matter who they are. Yes: that includes politicians, investment bankers, the 1%, etc. But giving out coal might actually be appreciated.
Santa doesn't talk to the press. Even "Ho! Ho! Ho!" is too dangerous these days.
Read Santa's Four F's and then read these guidelines one more time.
If you have reached this rule, you didn't get locked in a loop reading the guidelines over and over again. You are clever enough to take part in SantaCon!
Have a great time!!

Boston Santacon 2011: Update 3 - Lists, Costumes, Weather, FOUR F'S!!!

2011-12-13T08:13:00.000-08:00

Fewer than 5 days and counting 'til Santa presses the big red button and the Red Felt Rampage is released!

Here's the latest from Santa:

Be ready for LOTS of Santa!
Make a list and check it!
Last minute costumes?
Keep you fuzzy flannel-clad fanny from freezing!
Four F's!

* * *

SO MUCH SANTA!!

This year is looking similar to last year - so be ready for LOTS of Santa! If you get to a bar that's packed full of Santas, merrily Ho Ho Ho your way to a spill over bar or to the next stop.

* * *

Make Lists and Check Them!

Here's a quick review of what you want to bring:

Costume: Wear a costume or get left behind! Doesn't have to be a Santa costume. But you must wear a costume! Come as Santa or an upside down Christmas tree or Rudolph the Russian mobster Reindeer or a ginger bread cookie or and Elf or Frosty or Charles Dickens
Cash: Bring cash to pay for your drinks as you get them. Bring cash for the subway or cab fare home. And bring cash to leave nice fat Christmas tips for all the friendly bartenders and cocktailers that keep all the Santas merry!
Flask: I'm not saying Santas are scofflaws, but this Santa keeps a Private Stash in his Santa Sack just to keep spirits high between bars. Waiting behind 300 Santas for a beer can take a while!
Phone: If you're joining the Yule Tide later in the day and you want to find Santa, you'd better be following BostonSanta on Twitter!
Route map: (goo.gl/UMdJC) Learn it. Print it. Pack it. Santa will try to keep to this route and schedule, but no guarantees!

* * *

Last minute Santacon Costumes:

This is when you can usually find cheap Santa suits in places like Wallgreens or other retailers. Lots of options online, just be sure it gets delivered before 12/17! If you haven't found a costume yet GO FUCKING FIND ONE!

* * *

Forecast:

goo.gl/vlMhG and goo.gl/k3ieO

The weather's looking clear and cold, so make sure you're prepared for the walking between stops. If the weather really sucks, Santa will say "Fuck it!" and raze hell where ever he's at then take the Subway to Central. None of this will be decided before we start at noon on Saturday.

To be clear: Santa rides from noon on Saturday 'til he falls over no matter what the weather looks like. I don't want any belly aching from Wimpy the Elf about SNOW. Santa lives at the NORTH FREAKIN POLE. Santa drives a SLEIGH.

* * *

Four F's

Do not forget the Four F's!

Don't fuck with kids!
Don't fuck with cops!
Don't fuck with security!
Don't fuck with Santa!

Please feel welcome to bring your prankster presence. Megaphones and merry mischief are cordially invited! Santacon is hardly an event for the socially squeamish.

And please keep in mind: there is no "Santa Bail Fund". Anyone who crosses the Fun Line into Asshole Land is unwelcome. Play nice or get left behind. If you see any Poser Santas breaking the rules, tell them to knock it the fuck off or they'll get their furry fannies paddled 'til they fudge their flannels.

The clock is counting down!
Santa's coming to town!!

Boston Santacon Update 2: Route, Times, Locations, Google map, WHEEE!!

2011-12-08T02:09:00.001-08:00

Ho Ho Holycrap!

9 days til Santacon!!

* * *

Last year was epic chaos so the Santas have lined up EXTRA Spill-Over bars at every stop (you're welcome! Santa loves you too!).

Here are the highlights:

12:00 Porter Square - Christopher's & Tavern in The Square Porter
2:00 - Cambridge Common (Spill-over at Temple Bar, West Side Lounge, O'Sullivan's)
3:30 Harvard Square - Grafton Street & John Harvard's (Spill-over at Whitney's, Grendel's, Charlie's)
Mini-jump - People's Republik, Plough & Stars
5:00 dinner in Central Square - Tavern in The Square & The Asgard (Spill-over at Cantab Lounge, Miracle of Science)
9:30 Santa Dance Parties - Middlesex Lounge, Zuzu, Phoenix Landing

There's just no freakin way that all the Santas can fit into one bar. If this year looks anything like last year, it'll be tough for all the Santas to fit into TWO bars. So be prepared to go with the flow - if it looks like one stop is full, merrily make your way to a Spill-Over bar, or head over to the next destination, or mini-jump to someplace in between.

Check out our Google Map for all the details.

View Boston Santacon 2011: 12/17!! in a larger map

* * *

Be Extra Nice to bar staff!

Part of the greatness of Santacon is bringing a surprise bonus of sales, tips, fun and good cheer to bar staff on an otherwise slow Saturday afternoon. Be patient with and gracious to the bar staff. Show your appreciation with a few extra bucks on their tip. This is what keeps Santa welcomed back year after year. The bar staff are Santa's hosts. 200 unruly Santas are difficult to deal with - disrespecting our hosts is the swiftest way to get Santa unapologetically ejected.

If you get the sense that Santa isn't welcomed by the bar staff, please encourage Santa to head out to the next stop. Santa much prefers to hop down to the next closest bar than to piss off an entire establishment's staff and management.

Boston Santacon 2011 Flier / Poster

2011-12-03T14:49:00.001-08:00

The Media Elves have finished our flier / poster for Boston Santacon 2011!

Check it out, download, print, post 5,000 full-color copies all over the city, hang it on your fridge, your door, your wall, your cube, your monitor, or your ceiling over your bed, or mail it inconspicuously to 300 of your closest friends ...

You can view it by clicking on the link to the right under "PAGES" titled "Boston Santacon 2011 Flier / Poster".

Or click HERE!

Boston Santacon 2011: Update 1

2011-12-02T18:09:00.001-08:00

Listen up, all Ye Merry Santas and Elves:
We're 2 weeks away from Go Time. Here's some info from Santa to all you Krazy Kringles:

Four F's - Who remembers the Four Fs?
Costumes - Ya got those Santa Pants screwed on yet?
Updates - We're just getting warmed up ...

* * *
I'm sure a lot of you Snowflakes remember the Four F's from past Santacons, but Santa's gonna remind you anyway. If you're new to the Red Felt Rampage, the Four Fs keep Santas safe and out of trouble, so you better drill this 'til it comes outta your mouth faster than Ho-Ho-Hos or last night's Nog!

What are the Four F's?

Don't fuck with kids!
Don't fuck with cops!
Don't fuck with security!
Don't fuck with Santa!

And remember: There's no "Bail Fund" for Incarcerated Santas. Any Santas that cross the fun line into asshole land will be told to leave immediately. It's our gracious attitude and good spirit that keeps Santa welcome at these bars. So if you see any Poser Santas breaking the rules, tell them to knock it the fuck off immediately or they’ll get their furry fannies paddled ‘til they fudge their flannels!

* * *
Big day is only 2 weeks away! If you haven't got a costume, you'd best figure that shit out!

Santacon Costume links:

santa suits online:

http://bit.ly/5TukiX
http://bit.ly/5bUdMB
http://bit.ly/8ZcFWX

Santa suits on Ebay: http://bit.ly/8cuhaA
Tips on making your own cheap and dirty santa suit: http://bit.ly/5i0xco
and check out the link on the right under "PAGES" titled "Santacon Costume Tips".

You don't have to come as Santa, but you gotta wear a costume. So come as Santa, or an upside down Christmas tree, or Rudolph the Russian Mobster Reindeer, or Santa, or a Ginger Bread Cookie, or an Elf, or Frosty, or Santa, or Charles Dickens, or ...

* * *
This the first of the Updates for all you Naughty & Nicey St. Nicks: as the days count down, more updates will follow just to make sure you've screwed your Santa Pants on right!

This year's route is nearly completed, just awaiting confirmation from a couple bars. Once the route is set, an update will go out with a link to the Google Map. Like last year, we're trying to find a route with plenty of spill-over bars, which gets kinda tricky. There are TONS of great bars, but the past couple years have been too much Santa for any one bar to hold. It's not easy to find multiple neighborhoods with multiple bars all linked by a route for a few hundred Santas to stumble.

Our flier/poster will be sent out and posted in a couple days. In the upcoming week, updates will also get posted around to a bunch of sites. No one should have any trouble finding details. But if you know somebody who wants to attend and can't figure out how to search the Tubes, feel free to email Santa Boston directly!

the clock is counting down! so you'd better watch out! you'd better not cry!
Merry as hell,
Santa Boston

Boston Santacon 2011: 12/17!!

2011-11-15T02:16:00.000-08:00

Listen up, Coalbait, because Santacon Planning is Full Speed Ahead:

Boston Santacon 2011 is Saturday, 12/17
The Head Santas are nearly sober.
The media elves are drawing up posters and the fliers
and cacophonous Clauses are hammering out a route.

Know what you're gonna wear?

Know who you're gonna bring?

2010 was total maniacal chaos.
We have no idea what to expect for 2011. But we're working on making it fun!!

2011 Santacon Info above << BREAK > > 2010 Info below

2011-11-15T01:59:00.000-08:00

All posts below this point regard 2010.

Boston's Best Spontaneous Event??

2011-02-22T11:34:00.000-08:00

apparently, Boston Santacon has been nominated for the Phoenix's Best Spontaneous Event???

WHEW!

2010-12-21T07:53:00.000-08:00

Epic santarchy!

Man- running around and drinking all day is hard! Good job santas!

Have fun spreading more merry over the upcoming weeks!

totally un-official Slutty Santa Sunday Brunch

2010-12-17T09:39:00.000-08:00

And just in case you're looking for a thing to do on Sunday, THIS Santa and some of his Santa friends are having some Post-Santa Hangover Brunch in Davis Sq on Sunday and then going to the 2:00 matinee of The Slutcracker.

Do with that information what you will ... just thought I'd mention it.

merry as hell,
Santa Boston

Boston Santacon 2010: T -24 hours ...

2010-12-17T09:33:00.000-08:00

Fresh batteries slipped in the bullhorn with care.
With one day 'til Santacon, we all did prepare!

Flannels were tested against Winter's chill.
Bottles of hydrating fluids were filled.
Lists, and the Route, were checked and checked twice.
Mental notes taken: "To Bar staff be nice!"
The Four F's were gladly committed to heart.
"Mittens! A scarf! Now THAT would be smart!"
Twitters were Tweeted so the Mob could be found.
Trash bags were stashed to keep crap off the ground.

Everyone practiced their Hos and Good Cheer.
12:30 tomorrow: Santacon will be here!

* * *
Heads up, all you Red-Flanneled Fruitcakes! This is probably Santa's final update before he sees you tomorrow!
Santa received many questions, so let's start there:

If you're just tuning in, here's a quick recap:

Read ALL relevant details (times, locations, route & rules) posted here on this blog
On the right side of this page there's a link to the Google map of Santas route (SUBJECT TO CHANGE).
Assholes are unwelcome.

CASH: Bring it. That green paper stuff - you need it. Santa can't tell you how much because Santa doesn't know how much cab fare is from Davis Square to your bed and Santa doesn't know how many drinks you plan to buy. But here's how to use your green backs:

Subway fare: Santa rides the T from Harvard to Davis.
Cover charges: If you plan to go to Plough & Stars, Johnny D's, or The Burren, there will be a cover. You don't have to go to those bars - there are other bars with no cover charge where Santa will be at the same time.
Drinks: How long do you think it takes a bartender to close 200 tabs on 200 debit cards?? If you plan to buy all your drinks with your plastic, you're gonna be waiting a loooooong time. Santas get impatient quickly so pleeease plan to pay in CASH.
Cab fare: Santa never drives home. Never. Ever.

* * *
Stay warm!
It's tempting to assume our collective hotness will keep us roasty-toasty in this weather, but will that be true at temperatures under 30 degrees? Pleeeaaase prepare accordingly. If you want to know how warm you'll be outside on Saturday, I strongly urge you to put on your costume and go stand outside for five minutes.

Seriously.

* * *
Consider bringing a water bottle!
If you've got a water bottle that fits in your bag or your coat pocket, you may want to bring it. You can expect cocktailers and bartenders to have their hands full fetching boozy goodness. And no one should bar crawl for 13 hours without eating and hydrating along the way.

* * *
Double check!
You've got lists. Check them.
You've got the route map and the list of bars. Look at them again and pack it.

If you think you've missed something, check this blog. All the info is here somewhere. And if you can't find it, send me an email.

* * *
Be Nice to bar staff!
Part of the greatness of Santacon is bringing a surprise bonus of liquor sales, tips, fun and good cheer to bar staff on an otherwise slow Saturday afternoon. Be patient with and gracious to the bar staff. Show your appreciation with a few extra bucks on their tip. This is what keeps Santa welcomed back year after year. The bar staff are Santa's hosts. 200 unruly Santas are difficult to deal with - disrespecting our hosts is the swiftest way to get Santa unapologetically ejected.

If you get the sense that Santa isn't welcomed by the bar staff, please encourage Santa to move along. Santa much prefers to hop down to the next closest bar than to piss off an entire establishment's staff and management.

* * *
Four F's
Do NOT forget the Four F's!

Don't fuck with kids!
Don't fuck with cops!
Don't fuck with security!
Don't fuck with Santa!

And remember: If you catch any Poser Santas breaking the rules, tell them to knock it the fuck off immediately or they’ll get their furry fannies paddled ‘til they fudge their flannels!

* * *
Warm! You wants it!
Saying it twice.
A stick of chapstick, a pair of mittens and a scarf can make it a lot easier to keep merry.

* * *
Twitter!
Are you following BostonSanta on Twitter? It's the best ways to find Santa on Saturday! Especially if Santa deviates from his anticipated route . . .

* * *
Keep it clean!
200+ drunken Santas can leave a hell of a scar on the sidewalk. Please stick a small trash bag in one of your pockets and use it when you see someone "accidentally" drop any trash. Better yet would be if we all picked up after ourselves, or just didn't leave crap behind. But I'm just trying to be realistic here.

* * *
Things To Ponder
Closing this update with a reprint of the Santacon Guidelines from www.Santacon.info

SANTACON GUIDELINES:

Santa does not make children cry. If you see kids, don't freak them out. Give them a nice smile and a gift (candy etc). Adults are a different matter altogether - adjust based on their attitude.
Santa dresses for all occasions. Smart Santas wear multiple costume layers. Dress to maximize merriment at the North Pole or on a stripper pole.
Santa doesn't whine! We will be outside and walking - bring what you need to keep your pie-hole filled until we get indoors.
Don't be that santa. Drinking with Santa is fun. Babysitting Pukey McAlcoholPoisoning is lame.
Always pay for your drinks and tip the bar staff. We want to be able to do this again. Be polite and cultivate the goodwill of the local community.
Pay for your drinks as soon as you get them. Santas get tired of waiting for santas to clear their tabs before moving on.
No santa's left behind! Santa is considerate of his fellow santas. Pick a few people you know and keep an eye out for them. Look for them when it's time to move. If you don't see them, speak up so santa knows to wait a moment.
Stay with the Crimson Tide! It's not just "the more, the merrier" - Santa is safer with large numbers of fellow santas. And waiting for stragglers gets boring awfully quick.
Remember: this is about fun! Most santas take their fun with a little alcohol. However, Santas will be unapologetically ejected for any kind of violent, harassing or intimidating behavior. There is no "Bail Fund" for Incarcerated Santas. If you cross the fun line into asshole land, you'll be on your own.
Santa doesn't drink & drive. If you're going to drink, you must make sure that you can get safely home without driving yourself.
You must address everyone as "Santa".
You should "Ho! Ho! Ho!" like Santa.
You're encouraged to drink like Santa.
You may give out gifts like Santa. Maybe naughty gifts to give grown ups; nice gifts to give kids. Throwing coal at people is discouraged, no matter who they are. Yes: that includes politicians. But giving out coal might actually be appreciated.
Santa doesn't talk to the press. Even "Ho! Ho! Ho!" is too dangerous these days.
Read Santa's Four F's and then read these guidelines one more time.
If you reached this rule, then you didn't get locked in a loop reading the guidelines over and over again. You are clever enough to take part in SantaCon!
Have a great time!!

merry as hell,
Santa Boston

Santacon Beijing

2010-12-13T18:40:00.000-08:00

Santacon Beijing broken up by Chinese police!

Boston Santacon 2010: Update 3

2010-12-11T13:19:00.000-08:00

Just under a week and counting down 'til Santa presses the Big Red Button and the Red Felt Rampage is released! Here's the latest from Santa:

Make a list and check it!
Last minute costume?
Keep your fuzzy flannel-clad fanny from freezing!
Four Fs!

* * * * *
Quick review of what you wanna bring:

Costume: Wear a costume or get left behind! Doesn't have to be a Santa costume. But you gotta wear a costume. Come as Santa, or an upside down Christmas tree, or Rudolph the Russian Mobster Reindeer, or Santa, or a Ginger Bread Cookie, or an Elf, or Frosty, or Santa, or Charles Dickens, or ...
Cash: Bring some cash to pay for your drinks as you get them. Bring some cash for the subway ride. Bring some cash for a cab ride home at the end of the night. And bring some cash to leave nice fat Christmas tips for all the friendly bartenders and cocktailers that keep all the Santas merry!
Flask: I'm not saying Santas are scofflaws, but this Santa might carry a Private Stash in his Santa Sack just to keep spirits high between bars. Waiting behind 200 other Santas to order a beer can take a little while!
Cell phone: If you're joining the Yule Tide later in the day and you want to find Santa, you better be following BostonSanta on Twitter, or have joined BostonSantacon on Swaggle. Cuz the chances are pretty freakin slim that Santa will hear his phone ring over the noise of your MOM screaming, "Oh SANTA! Oh SANTA!".
Route map: ( Google Map ) Santa will try to stick with this schedule, but no guarantees!

* * * * *
Last-minute Santacon Costumes:
This is when cheap Santa suits can often be found at places like Wallgreens and big box-stores. Lots of options online - just be sure your delivery date is before 12/18! If you haven't got a costume yet, you've got less than a week to find one!

* * * * *
Forecast: Weather dot com & Accu Weather

Next weekend's weather looks a little icky, so make sure you're prepared for the walk between bars! If Santa's fingers get too cold to open his flask, Santa has alternate plans:

Santas can make extra stops at the Spill-over Bars
If the weather really sucks, Santa will say "Fuck it!" and continue to raze hell around Central, then jump on the T and go straight to John Harvard's or straight to Davis.

None of this will be decided before we start at 12:30. If anyone starts turning blue, Santa can stop anyplace close to warm up.

To be clear: Santa rides from 12:30 PM 'til he falls over no matter what the weather looks like. I don't want any bellyaching from Wimpy the Elf about SNOW. Santa lives at the NORTH FREAKIN POLE. Santa drives a SLEIGH.

* * * * *
Four F's
Do NOT forget the Four F's!

Don't fuck with kids!
Don't fuck with cops!
Don't fuck with security!
Don't fuck with Santa!

Please feel welcome to bring your prankster presence! Megaphones and merry mischief are cordially invited! Santacon is hardly an event for the socially squeamish.

And please keep in mind: There is no "Bail Fund". Anyone that cross the fun line into asshole land is unwelcome. Santa's gracious attitude and good spirit keep him welcome at these bars. If you see any Poser Santas breaking the rules, tell them to knock it the fuck off immediately or they’ll get their furry fannies paddled ‘til they fudge their flannels!

The clock is counting down! Santa's coming to town!!
merry as hell,
Santa Boston

Parapraxis: Bakhtin and Santarchy

2010-12-06T18:42:00.000-08:00

Parapraxis: Bakhtin and Santarchy: "So every year I await, with glee, this event. Since winter of 2005, I have thrown in my lot with ho-ho-hoardes of manic Santas who pick a..."

Update: 4 Fs & costume tips

2010-12-04T15:16:00.000-08:00

Alright all ye Santas and Elves. We're less than 2 weeks away from Go Time. Here's some info from Santa to all you Krazy Kringles:

Four F's - Who remembers the Four Fs?
Costumes - Ya got those Santa Pants screwed on yet?

* * *
I'm sure a lot of you Snowflakes remember the Four F's from past Santacons, but Santa's gonna remind you anyway. If you're new to the Red Felt Rampage, the Four Fs keep Santas safe and out of trouble, so you better drill this 'til it comes outta your mouth faster than Ho-Ho-Hos or last night's Nog!

What are the Four F's?

Don't fuck with kids!
Don't fuck with cops!
Don't fuck with security!
Don't fuck with Santa!

And remember: There's no "Bail Fund" for Incarcerated Santas. Any Santas that cross the fun line into asshole land will be told to leave immediately. It's our gracious attitude and good spirit that keeps Santa welcome at these bars. So if you see any Poser Santas breaking the rules, tell them to knock it the fuck off immediately or they’ll get their furry fannies paddled ‘til they fudge their flannels!

* * *
Less than 2 weeks away! If you haven't got a costume, you'd best figure that shit out!
Santacon Costume links:

santa suits online:

http://bit.ly/5TukiX
http://bit.ly/5bUdMB
http://bit.ly/8ZcFWX

and another list of sources:

http://santacon.info/Resources.html

Santa suits on Ebay:

http://bit.ly/8cuhaA

tips on making your own cheap and dirty santa suit:

http://bit.ly/5i0xco

and Santa Boston has info in a 2-page .pdf for more cheap costume-making advice. Email Santa Boston directly for a copy!

You don't have to come as Santa, but you gotta wear a costume. So come as Santa, or an upside down Christmas tree, or Rudolph the Russian Mobster Reindeer, or Santa, or a Ginger Bread Cookie, or an Elf, or Frosty, or Santa, or Charles Dickens, or ...

* * *
Info for Boston Santacon 2010 is posted around to a whole bunch of sites. No one should have any trouble finding details. But if you know somebody who wants to come and just can't figure out how to search the Tubes, feel free to email Santa Boston directly, or to print the attached flier and hand it to them.

Boston Santacon 2010 Route, Times, Locations, Wheee!!!

2010-12-01T14:25:00.000-08:00

This year, Santa has lined up Spill-Over bars at every stop. If last year is any indicator, no single bar can hold this much Santa! Find details of the route, the stops and all the bars on the Google Map.

12:30 PM Santa meets at The Asgard
2:30 PM Central Square: Tavern in the Square, Cantab Lounge, People's Republik, Plough and Stars
4:30 PM Harvard Square: Grafton St, Hong Kong, Whitney's Cafe
6:30 PM Dinner: John Harvard’s, Grendel's Den
9:30 PM Davis Square: The Burren (live Celtic music), Joshua Tree, Johnny D’s (live Latin beats)

Santa's final stop will be an all-out free-for-all Yule Tide in Davis Square. Pick a bar! Any bar! No single bar can contain this much Santa, so the night ends with a Dancer's Choice: Where do you want to go?? Where ever you end up, you can be sure that Santa will be there to greet you!!

Boston Santacon 2010: 12/18!!

2010-10-30T15:19:00.000-07:00

He appeared in a dream, just like years before:
a red-flanneled fat man at my bedroom door.

In one hand, an empty fifth bottle of Jack.
At His feet: a filthy, disgusting toy sack.

He staggered and swayed, His hand on His head,
Then stumbled and landed sprawled flat ‘cross my bed.

His corpulent gut pinned me down to the tick.
The peppermint stench of His breath made me sick.

His soft pearly beard smelled like cookies and candy.
And His suit reek as if it were steeped in cheap brandy.

He brought His broad rosy-cheeked face to my ear
And rasped as He whispered, His urgency clear,

“I’m coming to Boston ... You know what to do.
December 18 ... Tell them ... (Urp!) ... Tell the crew!”

The empty fifth bottle clattered onto the floor.
He rolled His paunch off me and lurched towards the door.

Then He paused, looked back and menaced again,
“December 18. Tell them where! Tell them when!”

In His eyes flickered mischief, His grin slowly spread,
then He stumbled away as I lay frozen in bed.

I woke with a start. I knew what to do.
In a strange dream He told me. Now I must tell you.

My hands are still trembling. My excitement is clear:
Come December 18, Santacon will be here!

Boston Santacon 2010 planning: full speed ahead!

2010-10-16T15:50:00.000-07:00

Alright, coalbait:
Boston Santacon 2010 planning is underway and moving fast.

The Head Santas have finally kicked last year's hangover. (And it's not even November!)
The media elves finished posters yesterday and the fliers will be done by Monday
and a clan of cacophonous Clauses is scouring your neighborhood bars to work out a route.

Know what you're gonna wear?

Know who you're gonna bring?

2009 was pretty big, so we're making 2010 better.

zzz ... zzz ... zz--snork "Huh? Wha?" ... YAAAWN ... "2010? Already?"

2010-10-08T08:42:00.000-07:00

(sits up. Wipes last year's egg nog from his beard with his filthy flannel sleeve.)

Riiiiight --- Boston SantaCon 2010 ... umm ... Yeah, I've got the date right here. It's --- um ... hang on ---

(swallows the last remnants from a bottle of Peppermint Schnapps)

Um-- Looks like New York hasn't picked a date yet. And Santa comes to Boston on a different weekend then Santa goes to NYC. So then, Boston SantaCon will be Dec 4, Dec 11, or Dec 18 ... whichever one isn't NYC SantaCon. And that's completely (hiccup) official. Yeah.

2010 Info above << BREAK > > 2009 Info below

2010-10-08T08:41:00.000-07:00

T - 43 Hours and Counting . . .

2009-12-17T15:24:00.000-08:00

Fresh batteries slipped in the bullhorn with care.
With two days to Santacon, we all did prepare!
Flannels were tested against Winter's chill.
Bottles of hydrating fluids were filled.
Lists, and the Route, were checked and checked twice.
Mental notes taken: "To Bartenders be nice!"
The Four F's were gladly committed to heart.
"Mittens! A scarf! Now THAT would be smart!"
Twitters were Tweeted so the Mob could be found.
Trash bags were stashed to keep crap off the ground.
Everyone practiced their Hos and Good Cheer.
At 1:00 Saturday, Santacon will be here!

Stay warm!
It's pretty tempting to assume our collective hotness will keep us all roasty-toasty in this weather, but will that be true at temperatures under 30 degrees? Pleeeaaase prepare accordingly. If you want to know how warm you'll be outside on Saturday, I strongly urge you to put on your costume and go stand outside for five minutes. Seriously.

Consider bringing a water bottle.
If you've got a water bottle that fits in your bag or your coat pocket, you may want to bring it. You can expect cocktailers and bartenders to have their hands full fetching alcohol. And no one should bar crawl for 13 hours without eating and hydrating along the way.

Double check!
You've got lists. Check them.
You've got the route map. Look at it again and pack it.
Wanna sing dirty carols?
Download a songbook!

here http://bit.ly/7yFdnk
here http://bit.ly/8hGfg1
here http://bit.ly/5HQ8xz
or even here for mobiles & smartphones http://bit.ly/4sQXQw

If you think you've missed something, check the blog posts. All the info is there somewhere. And if you can't find it, send me an email.

Be Nice to bar staff!
Part of the greatness of Santacon is bringing a surprise bonus of liquor sales and tips to bar staff on an otherwise slow Saturday afternoon. This is what keeps Santa welcomed back year after year. Please be patient and gracious to bar staff and show your appreciation with a few extra bucks on the tip.

If you get the sense that Santa isn't welcomed by the bar staff, please encourage Santa to move along. Santa much prefers to hop down to the next closest bar than to piss off an entire establishment's staff and management.

Four F's
Do NOT forget the Four F's!

Don't fuck with kids!
Don't fuck with cops!
Don't fuck with security!
Don't fuck with Santa!

And remember: If you catch any Poser Santas breaking the rules, tell them to knock it the fuck off immediately or they’ll get their furry fannies paddled ‘til they fudge their flannels!

Warm! You wants it!
Saying it twice.
A stick of chapstick, a pair of mittens and a scarf can make it a lot easier to keep merry.

Twitter & Swaggle
Are you following BostonSanta on Twitter?
Or have joined BostonSantacon on Swaggle?

Those are the best ways to find Santa on Saturday! Especially if Santa deviates from his anticipated route . . .

Keep it clean
100+ drunken Santas can leave a hell of a scar on the sidewalk. Please stick a small trash bag in one of your pockets and use it when you see someone "accidentally" drop any trash. Better yet would be if we all picked up after ourselves, or just didn't leave crap behind. But I'm just trying to be realistic here.

Things To Ponder
Closing this update with a reprint of the Santacon Guidelines from www.Santacon.info

SANTACON GUIDELINES:

Santa does not make children cry. If you see kids, don't freak them out. Give them a nice smile and a gift (candy etc). Adults are a different matter altogether - adjust based on their attitude.
Santa dresses for all occasions. Smart Santas wear multiple costume layers. Dress to maximize merriment in the North Pole or on a stripper pole.
Santa doesn't whine! We will be outside and walking - bring enough to keep your pie-hole filled until we get indoors.
Don't be that santa. Drinking with Santa is fun. Babysitting Pukey McAlcoholPoisoning Santa is not.
Always pay for your drinks and tip the bar staff. We want to be able to do this again. Be polite and cultivate the goodwill of the local community.
Pay for your drinks as soon as you get them. Santas get tired of waiting for santas to clear their tabs before moving on.
No santa's left behind! Santa is considerate of his fellow santas. Pick a few people you know and keep an eye out for them. Look for them when it's time to move. If you don't see them, speak up so santa knows to wait a moment.
Stay with the Crimson Tide! It's not just "the more, the merrier" - Santa is safer with large numbers of fellow santas. And waiting for stragglers gets boring awfully quick.
Remember: this is about fun! Most santas take their fun with a little alcohol. However, Santas will be asked to leave for any kind of violent, harassing or intimidating behavior. There is no "Bail Fund" for Incarcerated Santas. If you cross the fun line into asshole land, you'll be on your own.
Santa doesn't drink & drive. If you're going to drink, you must make sure that you can get safely home without driving yourself.
You must address everyone as "Santa".
You should "Ho! Ho! Ho!" like Santa.
You're encouraged to drink like Santa
You may want to give out gifts like Santa. Maybe naughty gifts to give grown ups; nice gifts to give kids. Throwing coal at people is discouraged, no matter who they are. Yes: that includes politicians. But giving out coal might actually be appreciated.
Santa doesn't talk to the press. Even "Ho! Ho! Ho!" is too dangerous these days.
Read Santa's Four F's and then read these guidelines one more time.
If you have reached this rule, you didn't get locked in a loop reading the guidelines over and over again. You are clever enough to take part in SantaCon!
Have a fucking great time!

merry as hell,
Santa Boston

Less than a week away!!

2009-12-13T17:30:00.000-08:00

Just under a week and counting down 'til Santa presses the Big Red Button and the Red Felt Rampage is released! Here's the latest from Santa:

Quick review of what you wanna bring:

Costume! Wear a costume or get left behind! Doesn't have to be a Santa costume. But you gotta wear a costume. Come as Santa, or an upside down Christmas tree, or Rudolph the Russian Mobster Reindeer, or Santa, or a Ginger Bread Cookie, or an Elf, or Frosty, or Santa, or Charles Dickens, or ...
Cash! Bring some cash to pay for your drinks as you get them. Bring some cash for the subway ride to Harvard Square. Bring some cash for a cab ride home at the end of the night. And bring some cash to leave nice fat Christmas tips for all the friendly bartenders and cocktailers that keep all the Santas merry!
Flask! I'm not saying Santas are scofflaws, but this Santa might carry a Private Stash in his Santa Sack just to keep spirits high between bars. Waiting behind 100 other Santas to order a beer can take a little while!
Cell phone! If you're joining the Yule Tide later in the day and you want to find Santa, you better be following BostonSanta on Twitter, or have joined BostonSantacon on Swaggle. Cuz the chances are pretty freakin slim that Santa will hear his phone ring over the noise of your MOM screaming, "Oh SANTA! Oh SANTA!".
Route map! (http://bit.ly/6xPoHp) Santa will try to stick with this schedule, but no guarantees!

Santacon Costume links
Cheap santa suits:

http://bit.ly/5TukiX
http://bit.ly/5bUdMB
http://bit.ly/8ZcFWX
another list of sources: http://santacon.info/Resources.html
Santa suits on Ebay: http://bit.ly/8cuhaA

Word on the street is there's cheap Santa suits at Walgreens. If you haven't got a costume yet, you've got less than a week to find one!

Weather
Forecast: http://bit.ly/4QbqzP & http://bit.ly/18fE3K

Next weekend's weather looks chilly, so make sure you're prepared for walking in the cold between bars! If Santa's fingers get too cold to open his flask, Santa has two alternative plans:

Santa will make extra stops: around Faneuil Hall and on Charles Street.
If the weather really sucks, Santa will say "Fuck Beacon Hill," continue to raze hell near Faneuil Hall, then jump on the T at Government Center and go straight to John Harvard's.

None of this will be decided before we start at 1:00. If anyone starts turning blue, Santa can stop anyplace close to warm up.

To be clear: Santa rides from 1:00 PM 'til he falls over no matter what the weather looks like. I don't want any bellyaching from Wimpy the Elf about SNOW. Santa lives at the NORTH FREAKIN POLE. Santa drives a SLEIGH.

Four F's
Do NOT forget the Four F's!

Don't fuck with kids!
Don't fuck with cops!
Don't fuck with security!
Don't fuck with Santa!

update, info, links, Santa suits!

2009-11-23T14:43:00.000-08:00

Santa's got some Updates for all you Naughty & Nicey St. Nicks:

What are the Four F's?
okay, Snowflakes: Santa's gonna drill this til it comes outta your mouth faster than Ho-Ho-Hos or last night's Nog!

Don't fuck with kids!
Don't fuck with cops!
Don't fuck with security!
Don't fuck with Santa!

And remember: If you catch any Poser Santas breaking the rules, tell them to knock it the fuck off immediately or they’ll get their furry fannies paddled ‘til they fudge their flannels!

Spread the Crimson Tide
So far, Boston Santacon 2009 is posted to Facebook, Yelp, Tribe, Boston.com Calendar, Craigslist Boston Calendar, Eventful, GoingBoston, Zvents, Yahoo Upcoming, and Annual Event Post as well as being listed on Santacon.info and Santarchy.com. These event listings need more traffic for them to appear on Google searches.

if you wanna make this an even bigger Red Flannel Rampage:

RSVP to one or more of the posted events
Invite your friends by forwarding an invitation to one or more of the event pages
Tweet a link to one or more of the event pages
Post a new event page to any social network sites you use that aren't currently on the list or to online calendars you can access that this Santa can't, (like university event calendars?).
Download and print some fliers (from http://santacon.info/Boston-MA/) and post them on bulletin boards.

links to the existing event listings:

Facebook: http://bit.ly/6zB8d8
Yelp: http://bit.ly/a4Ohc
Tribe: http://bit.ly/6SOyTK
Boston.com Calendar: http://bit.ly/8sdLVc
Craigslist Boston: http://bit.ly/67LLKS
Eventful: http://bit.ly/7HgRpv
Going Boston: http://bit.ly/7M1Po2
Zvents: http://bit.ly/4Noux1
Yahoo Upcoming: http://bit.ly/7pcYbe
Annual Event: http://bit.ly/6TKQvh

Santacon Costume links:
Boston Santacon is less than 4 weeks away! If you haven't got a costume, you'd best figure that shit out!

cheap santa suits:

http://bit.ly/5TukiX
http://bit.ly/5bUdMB
http://bit.ly/8ZcFWX
another list of sources: http://santacon.info/Resources.html
Santa suits on Ebay: http://bit.ly/8cuhaA
tips on making your own cheap and dirty santa suit: http://bit.ly/5i0xco

and email Santa Boston directly to get a .pdf with more cheap costume-making advice.

the clock is counting down! so you'd better watch out! you'd better not cry!
merry as hell,
Santa Boston

Boston Santacon 2009 flier

2009-11-14T08:25:00.000-08:00

Boston Santacon 2009 Flier

Want all the details for Boston Santacon 2009 on a single page so you can post 5,000 full-color copies all over the city? Hang it on your fridge, your door, your wall, your cube, your monitor, or your ceiling over your bed? Mail it inconspicuously to 300 of your closest friends?

Download it here!

Or cut/paste this address: http://bit.ly/LUjQ8

Boston Santacon 2009: 12/19!!

2009-11-13T11:41:00.000-08:00

Boston Santacon 2009

Date & Time:
1:00 PM Saturday December 19, 2009 -
3:00 AM Sunday December 20, 2009

Location:
Faneuil Hall, Beacon Hill, Boston Common,
Charles Street, the T, Harvard Square,
bathrooms and gutters all the way

Starting at:
The Purple Shamrock
1 Union Street
Boston, Massachusetts

WHAT WHERE WHEN

Come December, cacophonous Santas rampage in red flannel through cities around the world. It started in ‘94 when a few dozen Santas crashed downtown San Francisco for a night of Kringle Kaos. Things have now reached Critical Xmas and Santarchy is a global phenomenon. You'd better watch out! Santa's coming to town!

Boston Santacon 2009 starts Saturday December 19 at Faneuil Hall Marketplace (Purple Shamrock 1:00). Then Santa marches on Beacon Hill (21st Amendment 3:00), parades through the Common and down Charles Street (Beacon Hill Pub 5:00), rides the Redline to Harvard Square (John Harvard’s 7:00), and finally stumbles down to the Hong Kong in Harvard Square to shake his big red booty ‘til dawn!

Links:

Info about Santacon: www.santarchy.com & www.santacon.info
Find Santa's route on Google Maps: search " Boston Santacon 2009 " or cut & paste this link: http://bit.ly/3fCP2Q
Santa updates his where/when progress by text message. For updates:

Join BostonSantacon on Swaggle (www.swaggle.mobi)
Follow BostonSanta on Twitter (www.twitter.com)
Text " .join bostonsantacon " without quotes to 206–694–9197.

What should Santa bring?

Flannel: Wear a costume or get left behind
Flask: Pack your own to keep Christmas Spirits high and tabs low
Funds: Bring CASH for booze, subway, buses, taxis and tips. SANTA LEAVES A TIP!!!
Fun: Need I explain?

Rules (keep Santacon fun for everyone, not just you)
The F's of Santacon

--> Don't fuck with kids. Santa spreads cheer. Period.
--> Don't fuck with cops. Arrest = not fun
--> Don't fuck with security. Don't steal. Don't vandalize. Security will tell the cops it was the guy dressed like Santa. That's all of us, jackass.
--> Don't fuck with Santa. We're here to have a good time. Can we focus on that?

Get details as they come by email BostonSanta@gmail.com
You can call or text Santa at 206-769-2092
The best way to follow Santa is through Swaggle or Twitter

SantaCon Boston

Boston Santacon 2011: (FINAL UPDATE) T -18 hours ...

Boston Santacon 2011: Update 3 - Lists, Costumes, Weather, FOUR F'S!!!

Boston Santacon Update 2: Route, Times, Locations, Google map, WHEEE!!

Boston Santacon 2011 Flier / Poster

Boston Santacon 2011: Update 1

Boston Santacon 2011: 12/17!!

2011 Santacon Info above << BREAK > > 2010 Info below

Boston's Best Spontaneous Event??

apparently, Boston Santacon has been nominated for the Phoenix's Best Spontaneous Event???

WHEW!

totally un-official Slutty Santa Sunday Brunch

Boston Santacon 2010: T -24 hours ...

Santacon Beijing

Boston Santacon 2010: Update 3

Parapraxis: Bakhtin and Santarchy

Update: 4 Fs & costume tips

Boston Santacon 2010 Route, Times, Locations, Wheee!!!

Boston Santacon 2010: 12/18!!

Boston Santacon 2010 planning: full speed ahead!

zzz ... zzz ... zz--snork "Huh? Wha?" ... **YAAAWN** ... "2010? Already?"

2010 Info above << BREAK > > 2009 Info below

T - 43 Hours and Counting . . .

Less than a week away!!

update, info, links, Santa suits!

Boston Santacon 2009 flier

Boston Santacon 2009: 12/19!!

zzz ... zzz ... zz--snork "Huh? Wha?" ... YAAAWN ... "2010? Already?"