Shore Thing: Surfing Santas Wave Hello to Holiday Cheer and Charity

Surfing Santas isn’t your average holiday gathering. Every year, thousands of people head to Cocoa Beach, suit up in Santa costumes, and hit the waves. It’s loud, joyful, and a little bit wild—exactly what you’d want from a Florida Christmas tradition. And it all started with one family and a borrowed idea.

Back in 2009, George Trosset wanted to do something special for Christmas. He’d seen a Honda commercial showing Santas surfing, and thought, “Why not us?” His wife, Nihla, grabbed a red jacket from a thrift store and stitched together a beard from an old blanket. George threw on the makeshift outfit and paddled out with his son and daughter-in-law, who dressed as elves. That first Surfing Santas was small—just the Trosset family, the ocean, and a big idea.

Things escalated fast. The next year, friends joined in. Nineteen people surfed in costume on Christmas Eve. Word got out, and suddenly crowds doubled, then tripled, then tripled again. By 2013, after cleaning what felt like half the beach out of their house, the Trossets realized they needed more space. City leaders agreed, and Surfing Santas officially moved downtown.

Only once, in 2020, did the event take a break—COVID concerns kept the official party off the sand, though a few die-hards still showed up, Santa suits and all. Most years, though, the numbers keep climbing. The event draws more than 800 Surfing Santas and nearly 10,000 spectators. On Christmas Eve morning, Cocoa Beach feels electric. Surfers of all ages and abilities grab their boards, don their weirdest holiday gear, and get out there—some dance, some play music, and everyone soaks up the spectacle.

But Surfing Santas isn’t just for fun; it’s for a good cause. The event raises money for the Florida Surf Museum, which keeps the state’s surf history alive, and Grind for Life, helping cancer patients and their families with travel costs for treatment. Another group, Who We Play For, gets support too—they work to prevent sudden cardiac death in young people.

All this energy—and all those Santa suits—make a real impact. Surfing Santas sells everything from t-shirts to hats, and together, they’ve raised over $100,000 for local charities. Not bad for a tradition that started with a thrift-store jacket and a homemade beard.