NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of people dressed as jolly Old St. Nick have descended on New York City for the annual SantaCon charity pub crawl. The booze-fueled stroll through Manhattan kicked off Saturday morning in bars in midtown. Revelers were expected to make their way downtown where the festivities end in local watering holes in the Village. The organizers encouraged participants to donate $15 to enter participating venues, which they have said will go to charitable causes. Similar Christmas-themed bacchanals were slated in cities across the U.S. and Europe, from San Francisco and Cincinnati to London and Berlin, on Saturday. (Photo: AP)