Christmas Socks: How to Give Them Without the Groan

By Louluu team

Every December, someone opens a pair of Christmas socks and does the polite face. We'd quite like it not to be your fault. Christmas socks are still one of the easiest stocking fillers going; the trick is matching the pair to the person and getting the size right before the wrapping paper comes out.

If you're after animal, foodie and retro designs for the rest of the year, our novelty socks gift guide has a pick for every personality. This one is just about Christmas.

Why Christmas socks get a groan (and how to dodge it)

It's rarely the socks. It's the guesswork. A pair in the wrong size, a joke the recipient didn't find funny, or the third reindeer pair in as many years.

• Match the person, not the season. Festive for the ones who wear the Christmas jumper unprompted. Something smarter for the ones who don't.
• Check the size. Our socks come in set sizes, and a pair that's too small goes straight to the back of the drawer. More on that below.
• Give the pair a job. Christmas jumper day, Christmas morning, the Boxing Day walk. A sock with plans gets worn.

Christmas socks that are properly festive

For the full tinsel treatment, our Colourful Christmas Socks come in three festive colourways: Cream, Blue and Red. They're knitted from breathable combed cotton (75% cotton, 20% polyamide, 5% elastane), with a reinforced heel and toe and an elasticated cuff that holds its shape without digging in.

Three colours makes them easy to share out. Red for the traditionalist, Blue for the one who thinks red is a bit much, Cream for anyone who likes their Christmas quiet. Every colour comes in both sizes, so the whole household can match on Christmas morning. Or wrap one of each and call it a set.

They go in the machine at 40°C, which matters more than you'd think after the first mince pie incident.

For the people who say ‘I don’t do novelty’

Every family has one. For them, a Christmas present doesn't need a snowflake. It needs to look good with brogues on the first Monday back.

The Galloper Pin Dot Socks are cotton crews (80% cotton, 17% polyamide, 3% elastane) with pin dots knitted in, a contrast cuff, heel and toe, and a small tone-on-tone embroidered horse. There are nine colour pairings, from Navy / Red to Black / Cream, in men's UK 7–10.5 (EU 41–45). Cotton, not wool, and smart enough for the office. The rest of the family is in our Galloper range guide.

For the Boxing Day walk crowd, the Herringbone Lambswool Socks knit the pattern of a good tweed jacket into a lambswool crew: 75% lambswool, 17% polyamide, 5% cotton and 3% elastane. Black, Grey or Khaki, in men's UK 7–10.5 (EU 41–45). Wash them inside out at 30°C on a wool cycle and dry them flat. It's worth writing that on the gift tag.

Get the size right before you wrap

This is where most sock presents go wrong, so here's the short version. Our Colourful Christmas Socks come in two sizes: UK 3–7 (EU 36–40) and UK 7–10.5 (EU 41–45). The Galloper and lambswool crews above are men's UK 7–10.5 (EU 41–45).

Not sure of their shoe size? Have a casual look inside their trainers, or use our UK sock size guide, which converts UK, EU and US sizes. Between sizes? Size up.

When to order Christmas socks

UK delivery is free and tracked, and takes 2–4 working days from dispatch from Reading. To the EU and our other delivery countries it's free too, and takes 7–14 working days.

Deliveries run Monday to Friday, not at weekends or on public holidays, and our shipping policy is honest that November and December are busy, so times can stretch. Our advice: order the Christmas socks early, hide them somewhere sensible, then forget about them until wrapping night.

Christmas socks FAQs

What sizes do Louluu Christmas socks come in?

Our Colourful Christmas Socks come in two sizes, UK 3–7 (EU 36–40) and UK 7–10.5 (EU 41–45), in Cream, Blue and Red.

What are Louluu Christmas socks made of?

They are knitted from combed cotton: 75% cotton, 20% polyamide and 5% elastane, with a reinforced heel and toe.

How long does UK delivery take for Christmas orders?

UK delivery is free, tracked and takes 2–4 working days from dispatch. November and December are busy, so delivery times can be longer, and it is worth ordering early.

Wrap early, wrap well. Free delivery to the UK, Europe, the US and more.