SantaCon New York 2010

video from groovehoops

SantaCon is “a non-denominational, non-commercial, non-political and non-sensical Santa Claus convention” whose participants have to put on red and white Santa costume. The exact location of the event had been kept secret by the organizers, and was revealed via Twitter. The participants converged in Central Park's Bethesda Fountain. Participants also brought two non-perishable food items to be donated to the New York Food Bank.

Christmas in August: 2009 Radio City Music Hall's Christmas Spectacular Kick Off with the Rockettes and NY Giants Kicker Lawrence Tynes

The Rockettes

Special guest, New York Giants kicker, Lawrence Tynes

Kids and their parents joined the Rockettes forming

New York's longest kick line on 6th Avenue

NY Giants kicker Lawrence Tynes kicking off the 2009 Christmas Spectacular

Earlier this afternoon, the ROCKETTES, SANTA CLAUS, and the NY GIANTS kicker LAWRENCE TYNES officially kicked off (literally) the 2009 Radio City Christmas Spectacular on 6th Avenue, in front of the Radio City Music Hall. Traffic was stopped on 6th Avenue for the event. Special guest was NY Giants kicker, Lawrence Tynes. The Rockettes performed a special number to the delight of a big crowd on 6th Avenue. The event concluded with the creation of NY's longest kick line, creating a truly impressive "line-up" on Sixth Avenue, complete with snow (fake, of course).

SIDEWALK SANTAS roam the streets of Manhattan to support VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA

On November 28, I got carried away taking photos of the Sidewalk Santas as they took to the streets of Manhattan to raise money for Volunteers of America while bringing the holiday cheer to New Yorkers and tourists. 

From the official website of Volunteers of America:

Sidewalk Santa is first introduced in Los Angeles during the balmy winter of 1900. According to historical records, the five original Sidewalk Santas are hauled off to jail and booked for creating a nuisance. A public outcry ensues and the Santas are released. They go on to raise some $800 for Christmas dinners for the poor, far exceeding their goal of $500.

In short order, Sidewalk Santa begins to appear across the country, arriving in New York City in 1902. The tradition of Sidewalk Santa carries on as it has for 108 years…with the hope of helping more homeless and homebound New Yorkers than ever before. Be on the lookout for the chimneys of our signature bell-ringing Santas throughout this holiday season! 

Volunteers of America: 
Serving People and Communities for Over 100 Years 
Founded in New York City in 1896, Volunteers of America is one of the nation's oldest and largest faith-based human service organizations, with a presence in more than 200 cities nationwide, serving more than 1,800,000 people each year. Volunteers of America-Greater New York is the largest affiliate of the national organization, with close to 70 programs in the Greater New York area including the Mid-Hudson Valley region, Northern New Jersey and Southwestern Connecticut. Volunteers of America is one of the largest private providers of services to the homeless in the area.

We are an efficiently run organization, with an operating budget of approximately $90 million, and more than 90 cents of every dollar going directly to client care. Volunteers of America is at the forefront of social service - helping adults and children with special needs reach their full potential, and helping troubled individuals leave homelessness, addiction, untreated mental illness and intergenerational poverty behind for good. Our award-winning programs, skilled and dedicated staff, and caring volunteers bring relief to tens of thousands of people each year in desperate need of help.