It is the most wonderful time of the year indeed.

A thousand people dressed up as Santa Claus attended the SantaCon on Saturday. The annual event includes a costume parade with a bar-hopping route in New York, according to Yahoo News.

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"Look out for your reindeer. Look out for your elves," the organizers announced to the crowd as the event commenced.

Thousands of costumed participants roamed the street to bar-hop and spread the merriment through Brooklyn and Manhattan.

SantaCon participants Billy Aguiao and Dan Marx drank a bottle of Jack Daniels prior to attending the event.

"This is outrageous and I love it. My 21-year old son dragged me here and I'm glad. I just want to ride it out and have fun," said Aguiao, according to NY Daily News.

Amid the rising temperatures in the latter part of the day, the Santas in their sweaty costumes were still enjoying the spirit of Christmas.

SantaCon's originates from an anti-consumerist gathering in San Francisco in 1994.

It eventually branched out into hundreds of cities, with New York as the biggest event holder.

SantaCon has been under fire for the past three years due to participants engaging in rowdy behavior.

Between 2012 and 2013, a total of two arrests, 85 reports of disorderly conduct and other misdemeanors were reported.

Online videos of not-so-jolly Santa Clauses engaging in altercations have also gone viral.

Following these occurrences, the organizers devised a way to redeem the event's reputation.  They informed the police about the event in advance and also secured a permit to assemble in Brooklyn's McCarren Park.

Fortunately, there were no reports of arrests during the event, according to a representative of the New York Police Department.

However, the police force was still wary especially with potential binge drinking and rowdy behavior.

"You can be naughty but you have to be nice. Break the law and we intend to enforce the law," said Bill Braton, NYPD Police Commissioner, who sent a Yuletide warning to all Santas.

Tagsthousand people, Santa Claus, New York City, santacon, christmas, SantaCon New York