Christmas Eve With The Surfin Santas of Cocoa Beach

Christmas Eve With The Surfin Santas of Cocoa Beach

Christmas Eve at Coconuts on The Beach

It's that time of the year again... On Christmas Eve, December 24th from 8:00am to 12:00pm, the Surfin Santas of Cocoa Beach will be at Coconuts on the Beach at the end of Minuteman Causeway in Downtown Cocoa Beach.

Florida native George Trosset has gone surfing dressed up like Santa Claus every Christmas Eve for the past six years.

"I'm having the time of my life with the Surfing Santa stuff," he said.

But what began as backyard family fun with just his son and daughter-in-law has now exploded into an annual tradition attended by hundreds, forcing the Florida retiree to start planning for the cancer charity well before the holiday.

"I mean, it's Thanksgiving giving, and what have been working on? Surfing Santas! On Thanksgiving Day? It's all I think about, and it's all that I do, and it's gonna be that way until December 24th."

Trosset says international media coverage has him expecting more than 500 Surfing Santas this year, along with an audience into the thousands. That's twice the size of last year.

The event has now outgrown George's ability to hold it at his house here on 24th Street in Cocoa Beach, but his biggest concern was the safety of the people attending. They would have to cross four lanes of A1A, because of a lack of parking."

"I know if someone were to get hurt crossing the road... my wife and I talked about it, we'd never forgive ourselves. It would be a bad thing."

So this year, Surfing Santas is moving to downtown Cocoa Beach, where 5,000 parking spaces and emergency personnel are available. Also new: corporate sponsors, an official website, and custom designed t-shirt.

"Because you know, we're all about the beach, Cocoa Beach, Surfing Santas."

George is also practicing for a soon to be recorded music video, and surfing in a Santa suit isn't as easy as it might look, either.

"You know what water boarding is? The torture? That's what happened," he said. "The beard would get wet, and you can't breath you can't breath through a blanket full of water."

Despite the long hours that the event now consumes, the founder sounds a lot like Santa himself, when he tells us it's worth it.

"I'm getting more out of it than I'm putting in it, and I want to share it with other people."

The Surfing Santas will be hitting the waves off downtown Cocoa Beach at 8 a.m. on December 24. Proceeds from the sale of Surfing Santa t-shirts will go to support the Cocoa Beach Surf Museum and Grind for Life charity for cancer survivors.

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