November-December 2025
story and artwork by Anne M. Dellinger, Contributing Columnist
If your sock drawer is looking a bit shabby these days, take heart … the holiday, gift-giving season is near and, most likely, new socks will soon be coming your way! Socks may seem like an unexciting, simple gift to receive, but they are actually the perfect present — particularly if your drawer is full of threadbare mismatches.
First of all, socks are practical. Everybody needs them, especially during winter. Can you imagine your wardrobe without socks? How would you keep your toes toasty warm and protected?
But socks are not just beneficial for your physical comfort. They can also be a fun tool to express your unique sense of self. By wearing a variety of styles, bright colors, whimsical patterns and favorite characters, your feet will show off your interests and personality.
So, when you open a gift of cozy socks in a favorite, cool style this holiday, know that someone not only cares about your well-being but also celebrates and supports your individuality. And that feels really good!
A HISTORY OF NO COLD FEET
Socks could spin quite a yarn about their evolution down through the centuries.
Our earliest ancestors did not like cold “tootsie toes” any more than you do. Ancient cave paintings have shown that early cave dwellers kept their feet warm with foot wrappings made from woven grasses, vines, or animal skins and matted animal hair. Talk about rough, rugged footgear!
It wasn’t until 300-500 A.D., in Egypt, that a woolen fabric was hand-fashioned into a split-toe design to wear with sandals. Probably not the most comfortable footwear, but definitely a big improvement from walking around almost barefoot on all those rocks during the Stone Age! Ouch!
By the Middle Ages, 1000-1500 A.D., socks, or stockings that protected the entire leg, were being handmade. These were elaborate, decorative leg coverings created from wool, silk and linen by special craftspeople. It was a time-consuming, expensive process that made socks a luxury item to be enjoyed mainly by the rich nobility of Europe.
But in 1589, there was a game-changing moment in sock ownership when William Lee of England invented a knitting machine. Socks were soon produced efficiently and quickly, making them available and affordable to the general population. From that time forward, socks were no longer just for the feet of the elite!
Down through the years, new materials have been introduced into the manufacturing of socks. Textile improvements, like cotton fabric, elastic, nylon, polyester and spandex, have helped create a comfortable, snug fit.
While socks have always been designed with protection and comfort in mind, today’s styles have taken this goal to a whole new level. Socks have become the rock stars of everyone’s wardrobe! From hiking socks to fuzzy slippers to just plain cute and crazy socks, there seems to be a sock for every event or mood!
“Fun socks make happy feet!” — unknown
As the holiday season approaches, socks and stockings will take on a whole new role, going from feet holders to treat holders! Children in many countries will hang them from mantels or banisters, or even bedposts, in anticipation of gifts being secretly stuffed inside by a kindly character.
Depending on the folklore of different cultures, there will be variations of this tradition. Some will use a shoe instead of a stocking. Also, the gift-giving character and the dates of this figure’s arrival will differ
This traditional practice is most famously associated with Dec. 25 and the arrival of St. Nicholas on Christmas Eve.
According to legend, St. Nicholas secretly helped a poor family by dropping gold coins down their chimney, with one landing in a daughter’s stocking hung by the fire. Over time, this story developed into a custom of children hanging stockings, or shoes, on Christmas Eve — hoping for small gifts from a kindly figure now known as Santa Claus.
If Christmas is celebrated by your family, you may have a special stocking that holds holiday treats.
Have you ever found any of these items in your stocking:
- An orange?
- Coins?
- Assorted candy and nuts?
- Small toys, like a car or favorite stuffed animal?
- Socks?
These represent the small, traditional gifts that are sentimental reminders of the St. Nicholas legend.
However, today there is a much wider variety of stocking stuffers available that match modern times and individual interests, including technology and gift cards. Now, Santa Claus receives very specific requests, often with a link connecting an item to its purchase location!
Just for fun, decorate this little stocking with colorful markers and then add three things you hope to find stuffed inside! (Click here for a printable version of the image.)
Socks have come a long way from the “foot mittens” and “toe huggers” of the past to the novelty socks of today. The next time you pull on a fresh new pair, think about the kids of ancient days struggling to tie on their “foot bags” of animal skins and plant fibers.
How lucky are you to be living in the golden age of socks where there is a style for most every occasion and putting them on is hassle-free.
“One can never have enough socks.” — Dumbledore from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series [A reminder that homeless shelters are always appreciative of sock donations.]
CALLING ALL SUPER SLEUTHS
A one-size-fits-all athletic sock style was trendy in the 1970s and 1980s.
These simple white socks reached mid-calf or higher, had two or three colored bands at the top and lacked a heel.
Sports heroes of that time, like basketball stars Julius “Dr. J.” Irving and Wilt Chamberlain, wore these socks with shorts and popularized them with American youth.
Today this sock style is still recognized for its comfort and is a common choice for school uniforms and sports teams.
Hay Seed and City Slicker are not into socks but are curious to know more about this special style.
For a chance to win a $25 Amazon email gift card, do the following:
- Find the special socks hidden in the November-December issue of Cooperative Living magazine, giving the page number.
- What is the name of this sock style?
- Do you have these socks in your sock drawer? If so, do you like wearing them?
Fill out the form below or send answers with name, address and phone number to:
Cooperative Living Super Sleuths
4201 Dominion Blvd., Suite 101
Glen Allen, VA 23060
Kids Korner submissions are for children under the age of 16.
SEPTEMBER SUPER SLEUTHS
The September Super Sleuths was about finding your inner nerdiness. For a chance to win a $25 Amazon email gift card, kids were asked to find a book, with title and author, hidden in the pages of the magazine and then give the page number. They were also asked to provide the name of the book and its author, state whether they’ve read the book and name their “nerdy passion.”
The winning answers are:
- Page 8
- “If I Ran the Zoo” by Dr. Seuss
- Yes
- Crocheting
OUR WINNER IS LIBERTY.
Congratulations, Liberty!
The Latest Super Sleuth Contest