It’s that time of year for many of us to ask ourselves…”Where the hell am I going to be when 2012 rolls in?” Everyone treats the last evening of the year differently…some stay home…some have to work (doh!)….some hit the hay early….some pay over-inflated door covers to countdown the clock with lots of already drunk & rude people and a free cardboard noise maker. Some lay low and visit a friend’s house for a small party or have friends over themselves. Lots of variety and options out there, that’s for sure.

Yes...hot chicks are video gaming freaks, too!

But for those of you who still haven’t made up your mind where you want to be and you live in the metro Atlanta, GA area…CON*tourage encourages you to come spend that last evening at BATTLE & BREW for their NEW YEARS EVE PARTY. “Battle and what?” you may ask yourself. For those of you who don’t already know, BATTLE & BREW is a really cool bar/restaurant in Marietta, GA that is a “gamer” type establishment…that has tons of gaming options for those of you who are into video, video, video games. Long gone are the days of Atari 2600 as B&B caters to those who enjoy a competitive game on systems including PC, Xbox, PS3, Wii and NES. According to http://battleandbrew.com/, “We go the extra mile to provide a relaxed comfortable atmosphere where it is just as much fun to chill out and have a beer in as it is to duke it out in an intense CounterStrike deathmatch with your buddies.”

And as far as what the comfort level is at B&B, you can kick back on one of their plush couches and enjoy the latest Xbox 360 titles over system link where up to 16 players can battle it out on their 50+ inch LCD TVs. “It’s an awesome experience that you have to try to appreciate. Of course if Xbox Live is your thing we have that too offered over our superfast T1 connection.”

Video, video, video games...and beer!!!

As far as food and booze, B&B has both and they offer a wide variety to please almost anyone. If you love a good beer, you’ll be hard pressed to not find a good beer waiting for you. They offer a full menu with appetizers, entrees, wraps, burgers and pizzas. We’ve tried many of their menu items and we can tell you from first-hand experience that it’s TASTY FOOD…not what one might “think” they’d get at a gamer’s bar. And if you aren’t into gaming, that’s cool also. There are always friendly folks to chat with and since several of the CON*tourage CRUE members and regular attendees of Dragon*Con drop by B&B regularly, it must be pretty cool.

For those of you who have a CON*tourage t-shirt….wear it to the party and CON*tourage will happily buy you a beer/drink to help ring in 2012. Sorry…no swapping of shirts with your friends after we’ve bought you a drink. That’d just be…weird. The party starts at 8 p.m. and goes until 2 a.m.

Event info. on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/events/219357011477113/

Atlanta's SantaCon attendees stop for a photo in 2008.

Have you gotten all of your shopping done for the holidays yet? Have you gotten to a point where you want to just treat YOURSELF instead of purchasing gifts for friends & family? Have you ever wondered how Santa blows off steam before his “around-the-world-in-one-night” road trip? Do you long for dressing in red & green stockings and having your over-fill of egg nog? Are you bubbling over with such a merry & crazy feeling that you want to scream “HO HO HO” as loud as you can (without attracting a near-by hooker)? If you answered yes…or maybe….or you aren’t sure what the hell we are talking about..then CON*tourage has THE holiday-themed party just for you!

On Saturday evening, December 17th, 2011 in Atlanta’s Little 5 Points (starting at the infamous VORTEX BAR & GRILL), the 7th Annual SantaCon (hosted by the Dirty Southern Burners) will take place, starting at 7:00 p.m. and going to about 3:00 a.m. True…it’s called a “Con” (short for Convention) and many of us immediately think of weekend-long Sci-Fi Cons (i.e. Dragon*Con) that often require a badge to attend. However, this isn’t a weekend event….and it doesn’t cost anything (unless you buy booze/food). It’s just ONE EVENING…and basically an opportunity for attendees to throw on Christmas-related costumes and come party it up as hundreds and hundreds of fellow cheerful revealers move from bar to bar, spreading holiday cheer along the way.

Looks like Santa found some Ho Ho Ho's!

Although many people will be dressed as Kris Kringle, himself….attendees are encouraged to dress in ANY holiday-related attire….so CON*sider unleasing your inner elf, reindeer, wrapped gift, Grinch….you get the point.

This will be the first year (of hopefully many) that CON*tourage will be attending SantaCon. We mean who isn’t up for a night of partying while wearing red/green/white and downing pint after pint of holiday beer….opps…we mean holiday cheer!

Santa Do’s and Do Not’s (taken from the FB SantaCon event):
* DO address every Santa as Santa, in the first, second, and third person, singular and plural.
* DO have something ready to hand out, even if it’s just candy canes.
* DO many thorough soaks of your cleaning product containers before storing liquor in them. (If you haven’t already done so, it may be too late to start now.) Santa’s that want should bring flasks cleverly disguised as Pine-Sol or Windex bottles.
* DO be ready for new adventure at a moment’s notice. Santa is like a shark, and must keep moving in order to thrive.
* DO uphold the hallowed tradition of Never Washing the Suit.

NOTE: There will be a “Toys for Tots” drop on the route this year and organizers are asking any Santa’s able to contribute to bring a new unwrapped toy with them to help out the local community as well as enjoy a night of mayhem!

The PhotoGnome might also be seen at the 7th Annual SantaCon

SantaCon’s GENERAL RULES are listed below. Be ready to answer them if asked!! Santa is safe in numbers and educated. If Santa plans on bringing new people with him, have them join this event to get info!!!!
1. AGAIN! Santa does not make children cry. Really – If you see kids, give them nice toys, candy, or something pleasant. Parents and Tourists are a different matter altogether — adjust based on their
attitude.
2. Santa dresses for all occasions. It’s December. Smart Santa’s wear multiple costume layers. Dress to maximize merriment whether singing Christmas carols in the snow, or swinging from a stripper pole.
3. Santa doesn’t whine! We will be outside alot and commuting mainly on foot — bring enough “snacks” to keep your pie-hole filled until we get indoors.
4. Bring gifts — NAUGHTY gifts to give grown ups; NICE stuff to give kids. Throwing coal at people is discouraged no matter who they are. YES THAT INCLUDES POLITICIANS. But giving out coal is always ok.
5. Watching Santa get drunk and obnoxious is fun. Babysitting Santa while they vomit in an alley is not. Don’t be that Santa.
6. Pay for your beer and tip the bar staff, we want to be able to this again. Bribery gets you everywhere! Also pay for your beer or drink as soon as you get it. Other Santa’s get tired of waiting on Santa’s to clear their tab before being able to move on. This entire adventure should be CASH ONLY. Credit Cards only take longer and it takes long enough to serve all of yall when we rush the bar.
7. No Santa’s left behind. Don’t go leaving one or two Santa’s in the process. Santa dont like that. Pick a few people you know and keep an eye out for them when it’s time to move to the next location. If you don’t see them, speak up so everyone waits. Every Santa should have at least 2-3 other Santa’s they look out for and that look out for them. We don’t want to leave someone in the shitter and have them wandering around looking for us. Santa is safer in numbers. What one Santa couldn’t get away with without getting questioned, 50 can. Stick together Santas!
8. Memorize these answers to important QUESTIONS that may arise:
* Who’s in charge? “Santa”
* What organization are you with? “Santa”
* What are you protesting? “Nothing, Santa’s having a party” (note: WE ARE NOT PROTESTERS!! We’d need a permit for that – and something serious to complain about…)
* How did you get here? “A sleigh and eight tiny reindeer”
* Where are you going next? “I’m only allowed to tell you if you wear this hat and buy me a beer.”
9. Dress the hell up! You don’t have to dress as Santa proper. That’s BORING! Variations of Santa-ness are deeply appreciated, both by those we bring joy to – as well as the other Santarchists! Variants of elves or reindeer or what-have-you are fine as well!
10. “No blows below the belt. Keep it clean.”
11. Please realize that this indeed is an event to have a hell of a lot of fun, and of course, with the assistance of liquor. It’s not, however, an event to get shit-faced to the point that Santa’s end up insulting, fighting, degrading, or being assholes to people that run the places that we visit – or to the regular patrons that are there. Remember, we’re LUCKY that they let THIS many jackasses into their places of business — and we’d like to keep coming back. Also, there is no “bail fund” for incarcerated Santii — so you’ll be on your own with that, suckahs.

Keep an eye out for Dr. Rockzo, who just made bail (charges pending).

12. Santa’s that drink should make sure that they are also Santa’s that can drive home, or make arrangements so that they don’t need to. This is a no-brainer, but alas, I feel it needs to be said. I don’t want any casualties. We need as many soldiers for “return tours”, so to speak. With mass transit being what it is in Atlanta, we suggest bringing a designated driver and of course carpooling as much as possible or just get a hotel room. The more Santii in each vehicle, the fewer individuals need to remain dry.

CON*tourage looks forward to seeing lots of you out on Saturday, Dec. 17th! Make sure to keep an eye out for Dr. Rockzo, (the rock n’ roll clown) as he just made bail and word is…he’s hoping for a snow-covered evening! Below are links to Facebook events that have been created to help promote this kick-ass X-mas themed event…so spread the word!

Official ATL SantaCon FB Event Page: http://www.facebook.com/events/157662574327310
CON*tourage Invades SantaCon FB Event: http://www.facebook.com/events/296161617075619
 ATL SantaCon Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/santacon