'Santarchy' Serves Up Holiday Cheer With a Twist

The Santas handed out candy and treats and harmonized traditional Christmas carols at the base of the Washington Monument. When they approached police on the Ellipse, they broke out into a version of "Police Navidad."

But the real partying began after dark, when the group hit bars across the city, breaking into songs for adults, such as "Wreck the Halls" and "12 Days of Christmas," featuring party drinks: "12 tequila slammers, 11 mind erasers . . . two rum and Cokes and a big [expletive] pitcher of beer."

Kenny Blunt of Brooklyn, N.Y., decided to forgo New York's Santarchy celebration, which also was yesterday, to join his girlfriend, Meredith Keen of Potomac, for the Washington gathering.

With his wide-brim red hat tilted to one side and Mardi Gras beads, Blunt called himself "Gangsta Santa." Keen, in a tight red-and-white dress and boots, was Ms. Candy Cane.

Cathy Virgenock of Springfield was a walking Christmas tree complete with ornaments attached to her body.

Wearing a gray wig, fuzzy slippers and walking with a cane, Sue Kemp, 42, of Hagerstown was "Grandma" from "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer." On her nightgown were black hoof prints.

"I came down to see that the Department of Transportation does something about these out-of-control reindeer," she said.