Of course, his birthdays were never exactly fun - last year, the Dursleys had given him a coat hanger and a pair of Uncle Vernon's old socks.
When they find a new job, they replace the tired old socks.
You can also make your own reusable "odor eaters" by filling the toes of old socks with 2 table-spoons baking soda and tying them up in a knot.
Unlike Yang they do get a window, but their room smells faintly of sweat and old socks.
Entomologist Daniel L. Kline experimented with using dirty socks as a mosquito lure, and found his 3-day-old socks were irresistible to them.
Using old socks or paper bags make puppets by gluing or taping on googly eyes, yarn for hair, ribbon for ties, construction paper for tongues etc.
Those old socks are really smelling the room out.
Aunt Emilie darned old socks.