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As a kid, when you get socks or underwear or clothes of any kind for Christmas, it can be a major disappointment. Maybe getting a cool new jacket or some neat graphic t-shirts or something could be fun, but socks are always boring. Socks with fun patterns on them are disappointing, too, because it just feels like a boring thing that's trying too hard to not be boring. Extra points off if they're Christmas themed, because in reality those are socks you can't even wear until next Christmas.
Contrast this with how some adults feel about getting socks. While it seems nearly all socks made for kids are basically the same, and all you really worry about is if they will fit or not, adult socks come in so many different shapes, sizes, textures, and fabrics that getting some good ones as a gift can actually be exciting for some people. So when adults give kids socks, they may not actually be thinking about how the kid would feel about getting them and are mostly thinking about how they would feel. This, of course, leads to the Aunt Eloises of the world giving the Sonnys of the world socks for Christmas. If you are an Aunt Eloise, perhaps next year you should consider giving those socks to your adult siblings, and get something more fun and exciting for your nieces and nephews.