For many, spotting jolly old Saint Nick will on the street will bring a smile to the face and warm feelings of holiday cheer.
But you might excuse the New York Police Department for having thoughts of dread instead.
The arrival of SantaCon now signals the onslaught of thousands of drunken holiday revelers dressed up as Santa on the city's streets, and at least one police officer has had enough.
The New York Daily News reports that a lieutenant with NYPD's Midtown North Precinct recently wrote to bar owners in the area asking them to ban participants of the 2013 SantaCon.
The event was originally billed as a fund-raiser, but has since evolved into a massive bar hop.
In a letter to about three dozen bars and clubs in the Midtown and Hell's Kitchen neighborhoods Lt. John Cocchi warns of "thousands of intoxicated partygoers" roaming the streets while "urinating, littering, vomiting" and other naughty behavior.
The event is set to begin on Dec. 14 and while many bar owners welcome the extra business, many of those who live in the area aren't so enthusiastic about the festivities.
Bob Miner, a member of a local block association is hoping the revelers will pass by his neighborhood, "What do you tell a 5-year-old when they see a Santa passed out on the street, or carried by his buddies, or vomiting or defecating in front of the house?”
The Daily News reports there are now SantaCon events in more than 300 cities across the globe.
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