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TIS THE SEASON

Revellers brave the cold wearing Santa and elf costumes as they hit the streets to party and celebrate Christmas

Scroll down for photos of the merrymakers painting the town red
Collage of photos showing groups of people in Santa Claus and elf costumes.

REVELLERS braved the cold last night wearing Santa and elf costumes as they hit the streets to party and celebrate Christmas.

London has taken on SantaCon once again, the cities biggest annual convention of "Lapland present-giving personnel".

Revellers sang carols loud for everyone to hear in London on Saturday, December 14
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Revellers sang carols loud for everyone to hear in London on Saturday, December 14Credit: The Mega Agency
Festive drinks were enjoyed all day by hundreds of participants
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Festive drinks were enjoyed all day by hundreds of participantsCredit: The Mega Agency
Pictures show merrymakers enjoying music and honouring the event which began 30 years ago
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Pictures show merrymakers enjoying music and honouring the event which began 30 years agoCredit: alamy live news

SantaCon is an iconic festive pub crawl which sees hundreds if not thousands of attendees each year.

Details about the event could be found online via the SantaCon London website and via Facebook.

Revellers were urged not to urinate in the street, litter or "be stupid" last night on Saturday, December 14.

The event also describes itself as "a non-profit, non-political, non-religious and non-sensical Christmas parade".

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Aside from dressing as Santa, revellers were invited to download "carol sheets" and bring a "present for the kids".

The event began at the Floating Pocket Park at 11am - with no finishing time disclosed.

But pictures and live footage show hundreds of Santa's hitting the town with booze, musical instruments and good spirits.

SantaCon, which was never meant to become a tradition, began 30 years ago.

A group in San Francisco were the first to organise the event in 1994 after being inspired by the Danish activist theatre group, Solvogen.

Solvogen's antics were written about in the political nonprofit magazine, Mother Jones, which involved their subsequent arrest.

Wild pics show SantaCon 2023 revelers who praise NYC's annual pub crawl as a 'healthy mix of partying and charity'

The group had dressed as Santa's, handing out "presents" from the shelves of a department store to customers.

Somehow the event blossomed and has spread around the globe.

In 2013, events were scheduled in 300 cities for the first time.

But the event is notoriously prominent in New York, Hoboken, Saint Paul, Portland, and San Francisco.

New York is the largest SantaCon venue, with over 30,000 taking part in 2012.

However, an opinion piece written in the New York Times in 2013 criticised the event for "sexism, drunkenness, xenophobia, homophobia and enough incidents of public vomiting and urination to fill an infinite dunk tank."

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It added: "It contributes absolutely zero value – cultural, artistic, aesthetic, diversionary, culinary or political – to its host neighbourhood.

"Quite simply, SantaCon is a parasite."

SantaCon participants were invited to wear Santa Outfits and 'not just a hat'
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SantaCon participants were invited to wear Santa Outfits and 'not just a hat'Credit: nb press
They were also advised to wear something warm and possibly waterproof but here we have nine elves and a grandma
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They were also advised to wear something warm and possibly waterproof but here we have nine elves and a grandmaCredit: nb press
Mary and Joseph are pictured with their small baby and followers
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Mary and Joseph are pictured with their small baby and followersCredit: nb press
More revellers enjoy a sit down during a long day of festive fun
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More revellers enjoy a sit down during a long day of festive funCredit: alamy live news
All participants seemed in merry spirits
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All participants seemed in merry spiritsCredit: nb press
Three angels enjoying some cheesy chips after putting in a good shift
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Three angels enjoying some cheesy chips after putting in a good shiftCredit: nb press
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