Christmas has many traditions, but this one will knock your socks off…or it will make you want to go buy another pair. Evan Souza, junior and famed thespian of the West Theater Department, has 25 pairs of Christmas socks. He started the tradition last year with a mere 15 pairs but found he could contribute greater holiday spirit if he went all out. Souza is an all-around sock enthusiast; he has seven pairs of Halloween socks.

He often coordinates them with his activities for the day; on day two he wore a Christmas tree pair for the annual decorating of the family Christmas tree. On Christmas Day he will be sporting his Santa socks. The December collection ranges from penguins to Santa and Rudolph sporting shades and saying, “Don’t Stop Believing.”

“My absolute favorite pair is the ones that say ‘Merry Chrismoose’, and they have a moose with
lights tangled in the antlers,” Souza said.

The inspiration for Souza’s tradition came in part from a friend’s holiday challenge. He saw the extra spirit she brought to everyone and wanted to do something in kind.

“My friend who went to Davie, Morgan Bumgarner, did 25 days of Christmas carols on her Snapchat. She would walk around with a pencil and sing part and get someone else to finish it,” Souza said.

A lover of all things festive, Souza enjoys conventional holiday activities as well. His favorites include decorating the family tree, partaking in Elf on the Shelf and receiving handmade advent calendars from his grandma. He and his sister also often bake holiday goodies with their grandma.

“We make Christmas candy like peanut butter dipped in chocolate and coconut dipped in chocolate; we call it dipping candy,” Souza said.

Even if you don’t celebrate Christmas, sheep wearing Santa hats and saying, “Fleece Navidad” is sure to bring a smile to your face. If you too want some festive footwear, Souza recommends Stein Mart and Target for the best selection. If not, you can simply enjoy Souza’s 25 Days of Socks this year and for many years to come.