They're just having a great Christmas time.
Hundreds of people flocked to Midtown on Saturday to take part in Santacon, the infamous debauchery, but a “healthy” alternative event debuted in Manhattan.
Revelers dressed as Santa, reindeer and Christmas presents gather at West 39th Street and Broadway to begin the annual bar crawl that stretches from Times Square to the East Village and typically draws about 30,000 participants.
“Today is the day thousands of people in New York City dress up as Santa. To me, it's about unity,” polite SantaCon attendee Nydia Cruz, 36, told the Post.
Other participants were ready to put on their eggnog.
“I think it's really fun to watch people get drunk and talk about how much they hate Christmas,” said Ethan Howard, who wore a Grinch costume.
“We want to go bar hopping and spread some holiday spirit,” said Juliana Nunez, 24, who came from Connecticut for the festivities.
Jacqueline Nardone of Manhattan intentionally brought her 6-year-old daughter alone to the first part of the infamous boozy event.
“We come from the beginning, because at first everyone is happy, but then, uh, they get tired,” Nardone explained, nodding to the girl.
One woman humorously carried a basket of “emotional support gingerbread.”
Meanwhile, about 40 people dressed as Christmas elves gathered in Central Park for the first “Project Elf.” The event was a small, family-friendly event that resembled a “low-key Santacon,” as one attendee described it.
The event was the brainchild of Big Apple teenagers John Clark, 14, and Oliver Bakleda, 16, and was inspired by the 2003 hit holiday movie “Elf,” starring Will Ferrell. He says he got it.
“We were thinking about what to do to entertain ourselves and decided to create an army of elves. That day we went to FedEx and got a copy of a poster with a picture of Buddy the elf. '' Clark recalled as well as the details of the event.
“As time went on, we realized it was the same day as Santacon. That wasn't intentional,” Clark said. “We just thought it would be fun.”
The Clark and Buffreda families will donate $100 for each person who attends dressed as an elf to City Meals on Wheels, a nonprofit organization that provides food to elderly New Yorkers in need. Announced.
Manhattan resident Ana Sophia Acosta, 26, said she was happy to replace the “drink-heavy” SantaCon with Project Elf, but said it was simply “a fun way to spread some Christmas cheer.”
