“Santacon,” I said to the man on the sidewalk. “Santawhat?” he said.

Santacon is sort of a mobile flashmob, part Christmas cheer, part party and all fun. This marks the 6th annual Santacon in Asheville. Before it hits the streets, the event is hush-hush, the location and time closely guarded. This year’s ‘con began at WALK on Haywood Road in West Asheville. Santas, elves, reindeer, and assorted other characters coordinated their songs and tested various fun gizmos.

As you might imagine, the songs are not your usual Christmas carols. Oh, the tunes might be familiar, but some of them have been, well, modified. “Jingle Bells” becomes “We Drink Beer,” “The Little Drummer Boy” becomes “The Bum Song,” and “We Wish You A Merry Christmas” becomes “Wal-Mart You A Merry Christmas.” You get the idea.

After some libation at WALK, the Santas boarded a school bus or two and headed out on a mission to make merry. You may see them around town tonight. They won’t be hard to miss.

Slideshow of the gathering from our MountainX flickr site.