SantaCon Redux

I first posted this on my blog a year ago. William’s memorial service was December 15^th, 2012.  An update seems appropriate.    

“As we emerged from William’s memorial service in Midtown Manhattan exactly a year ago, Saturday, December 15^th, we were embraced by a swarm of drunken Santas. The irony of leaving the memorial for someone who died due to a substance use disorder, only to encounter the obscenity of a mob of drunken Santas, reindeer, and elves was not lost on us.  SantaCon was in full swing. 

Fortunately the New York Times has spared me having to reflect on this event.  I’m happy to say that Lee Seinfeld, the owner of my local watering hole, wants nothing to do with the event.” 

Here is an op-ed piece that captures my feelings nicely.  http://nyti.ms/1ftAsCr  Thank you Jason Gilbert.    

You can also go here to find Times reportage on the event:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/14/nyregion/when-santacon-comes-to-town- cheer-mixes-with-dread.html

Or, for that matter, try the LA Times:

http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-santacon-divides-new-york-city-20131213,0,836946.story#axzz2nT2PdOTd

This year, add this piece by Meredith Hoffman in The Village Voice:

http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2014/12/people-hate-santacon.php