Every year, hundreds of surfers gather in Cocoa Beach, Florida and paddle out for a surf, dressed as Santa. It started out as a small, family day in 2009 and has grown into a global phenomenon. In past years, the event has clocked over 800 surfing Santas and roughly 10,000 spectators. The event takes place on Christmas Eve each year and people gather from all over to surf dressed as Saint Nick.
In addition to a fun holiday celebration, Surfing Santas Cocoa Beach takes pride in helping those in need. Between raffle tickets and swag, Surfing Santas has raised over $100,000 for local charities. Two charities that are near and dear to Surfing Santas’s heart are the Florida Surf Museum, which helps preserve Florida’s surfing history, and Grind for Life, a charity benefiting people with cancer.
In the above video, Surfing Santas’s founder George Trosset talks about how Surfing Santas simply began by him taking his son surfing dressed in a Santa costume his wife made him. He shares how the organization has grown over the years and what it’s all about. If you find yourself on the Space Coast this holiday season, suit up and paddle out.
