At the HMS Bounty in Koreatown – usually a kitschy, maritime-themed dive – around 100 people dressed in Santa costumes filled every corner of the bar on Saturday. Christmas lights and tinsel twinkled from the ceilings. More Santas entered, and each got a cheerful “Hi Santa!” from the jolly group.
It sounds like a lot of “Santa” and that’s because it is. The annual event is as much a convention of people dressed like Santa as it is street theater and live-action roleplay of the character of Santa. The idea is to show up at bars and parks across LA, wearing a Santa costume. But it doesn’t end there.
“It’s not just about wearing a Santa sweater or Santa hat. We really want to encourage people to embrace Santa,” explained organizer Heather Vescent, aka Santa Vescent. “It’s like Santa’s this collective identity, and he’s represented as this white-bearded dude wearing a red suit. But SantaCon lets you be whatever you want.”
LA SantaCon attendees took many liberties with the collective identity. There were punk rock Santas, sexy Mrs.Clauses (myself included), elves, clowns, and Christmas trees and their accouterments.
A woman dressed as a Christmas tree star stands next to a small Christmas tree at the HMS Bounty. Photo by Kelsey Ngante.
“Inside the zone, the rules of the outside world do not apply. And for SantaCon, the delineation between the outside world and the world of Santa is wearing your Santa suit,” explained Santa Vescent.
I figured out what she meant pretty quickly once I pulled out my press kit to interview some Santas at the Con.
“Everyone is Santa today,” one Santa said to me after I asked her name. “Everyone has a little Santa in them. Would you like a little Santa in you?”
The HMS Bounty was only the first stop on one of this year’s SantaCon routes. Enthusiasts had the choice to start their journeys in Koreatown or North Hollywood. Other activities included a karaoke bar, a park filled with snow, and a barcade/bowling alley.
At Shatto 39 Lanes in Koreatown, a group of about a dozen clowns marched through an alley holding signs reading “SANTA IS A REGIFTER” and “JINGLE THESE BELLS” while chanting “Down with Santa!”
“Can you tell me why you’re a clown today?” I asked one clown.
“I’m a clown every day, aren’t you?” he replied.
Clown cosplayers march across Shatto 39 Lanes in protest of Santa. Photo by Kelsey Ngante.
The convention originated in the 90s as a surrealist countercultural event organized by the San Francisco Cacophony Society. In the early years, SantaCon was all about culture jamming – a form of activist art designed to subvert or disrupt mainstream media images. These rowdy Santas crashed big corporate Christmas parties and caused a ruckus around town.
“At its core, and where the origin of it came from, was like a commentary on taking back Christmas from the big consumerism, big corporate brands and companies,” said Santa Cheese, a SantaCon organizer known most of the year as Joe Harkenrider.
While that all sounds noble in a distinctly California theater artist way, not all SantaCon attendees see it like that.
“What’s the spirit of Santa mean to you?” I asked one goth Santa in an all-black cloak and hat.
“Uh I don’t know, just have fun?” he answered.
