If you caught sight of thousands of red-and-white-clad local folk donning Santa apparel and belting out boisterous (and sometimes naughty) Christmas carols Saturday afternoon, it wasn't because someone slipped a roofie in your drink. Santas from all walks of life--big Santas, small Santas, heavily-bearded Santas, clean-shaven Santas, Santas in shades, Santas with elf companions--joined holiday forces in the spirit of SantaCon 2008.

Taking place in more than 50 cities across the globe, SantaCon is essentially what it sounds like: a mass gathering of people dressed like Santa.  San Francisco's own SantaCon--or Santarchy, as it is often referred to--divided into three city groups, Ho on Haight, Mstrobation and Klassic Kringle, and one in the East Bay, due to the widespread popularity of the event. All Santas met in their separate lots early in the afternoon and later converged in Duboce Park, ending the night with what many referred to as one "big ‘ole klezmer dance party."