Search
Family Tradition
Today is December 24th ... Christmas Eve ... and at noon today my brother Goose and I will continue a family tradition that began over 75 years ago.
It seems that in 1929 on December 24th the Gagnon boys ... no, not Foxy and Goose, but Ralphe and Ray (sons of Leo and Alvina Gagnon) ... were admiring the gifts under the Christmas tree at their home. Ralphe was 12 years old and Ray was just 7, and they sure were curious about what goodies were waiting under the colorful Christmas wrapping paper. The boys considered opening "just one," but feared they might "get in trouble" if they tried to satisfy their curiousity to any degree. After several minutes of "you open one ... no, you open one ..." and "I'll open one if you open one," the boys each grabbed a present with their name on it. With childish grins they proceeded, for the first time, to open one Christmas gift ahead of time, and thus was born a Gagnon family tradition.
Because the following year the Gagnon boys again opened one Christmas present a day early, and as they got older, so did the tradition. As time passed and Ralphe and Ray got older, they decided that each December 24th no matter where each of them might be, all things would stop and they would exchange gifts precisely at noontime.
In 1940 Ralphe left the area, starting a family in Massena and later moving the family to Las Cruces, New Mexico and, eventually, to California. But they never forgot the exchange of gifts at noon on December 24th. It became an important event in our family as Goose and I grew up, watching our Dad (Ray) open the gift from Uncle Ralphe. And, at that very moment thousands of miles away, Uncle Ralphe would be doing the same, often with his children Michael, Jim and Gail watching.
The Christmas Eve tradition between Ralphe and Ray, the original Gagnon boys, lasted 53 years, until our Dad died in November 1983. As Christmas 1983 approached Goose and I talked about how that year the wonderful family tradition would be ending. But, wait, we were the new Gagnon boys ... we could carry on that Gagnon family tradition! So, with a wink of an eye and a turn of a head, Goose and I decided that the Gagnon family tradition could continue through us. So, that December 24th precisely at noon, Goose and I met at Mom's on Johnson Avenue and exchanged gifts and hugs.
Uncle Ralphe, now 88 years old, still lives in California with Aunt Peggy, now 86. They have been married 65 years. Today at noon New York time Uncle Ralphe will stop whatever he is doing. "I'll say a prayer to my brother at noontime. That is the only thing we can exchange now," he told me last night on the phone. And Uncle Ralphe and our Dad Ray will be in our thoughts today at noon as Goose and I exchange gifts. I wonder what Goose got me this year. Hair-ties for my future ponytail? A pair of wool socks to keep my feet warm? A gift certificate to my favorite restaurant? Oh, it doesn't really matter. The important thing is that the Gagnon family tradition will continue one more year. Merry Christmas, little brother!
Do you have a unique or special holiday family tradition? I'd love to hear about it.
Comments
Great reading, Foxy! Looking foward to more of your stories. Love ya!
Posted by: Dora | December 27, 2005 1:04 PM
Great job nephew. Aunt Peggy says excellent on our tradition story. Love you a bunch. Spare bedroom waiting.
(Foxy's note: Uncle Ralphe and Aunt Peggy now live in beautiful Hemet, California. They know the finest Mexican restaurants and Uncle Ralphe always provides a scenic ride over San Jacinto Mountain.)
Posted by: Uncle Ralphe | December 27, 2005 3:03 AM
Great to read your Blog,Foxy. I like your breezy style and looking forward to more tales.
Posted by: Brenda Towne | December 26, 2005 12:44 PM
Foxy,
The day of your retirement party I asked, "Are you going to work for ESPN?" Well this isn't ESPN but you are getting closer. Congratulations, I will be following your new career with a great deal of interest.
Posted by: Art La Marche | December 26, 2005 10:19 AM
I too have thoughts of past Christmases and traditions that have evolved throughout the years. I can remember when all our presents were hand made, and all the trees were real and imperfect and took hours roaming the displays through back yards to select. I have vivid memories of walking the length of Margaret street in bitter cold and slush from Fishmans, Woolworths & Montgomery Ward to the other end with Austin’s and Beverly Pearl in search of the perfect gift for my brother and sisters, and always being drawn to the caged birds in the back of the Five & Dime store just beyond the lunch counter. I remember the smell of fresh popcorn and hot dogs rotating on silver tubes behind the counter at the front of that store. I don’t much remember the specifics of gifts, but I do remember my grandmother always getting hairnets and stockings, and her also giving money in hand signed envelopes. I expect the nets were to hold what little hair she had in place although I never asked. As time went on I remember the malls becoming a welcome change to the bitterness of December winters and wondered whether my own children would have the same memories. I marveled over gift cards as a replacement for the impersonal money sleeves that reflected my lack of imagination in gift picking. Most of all I remember the crazy gifts we received from relatives we rarely saw. One Christmas I received a short sleeved Hawaiian shirt and a pair of cuff links, and we all mused as to how they went together. I remember the gifts I gave, more than the ones I received and now am more consumed with the ones I must return that don’t fit into my children’s life styles. I don’t remember my mother ever returning our gifts and I remember how she always made me feel like my gift to her was the most special one she received. I know now she made my siblings feel the same way. I wonder if my children will have memories of their Christmases and whether the Internet will replace the aimless wandering we witness in stores this time of year. My best memories of Christmas is the fact I have memory at all and yes, I remember you in your maroon knee guards, or oversized glove, or peering out of a helmet that had most likely been passed down through generations of players at OLVA. And now, thanks to your blog, I’ll have an image memory of you and Goose hugging at noon on Christmas Eve-- “thanks for the memories”, and HAPPY HOLIDAYS-I’ll be following your blogs.
Posted by: W | December 26, 2005 8:38 AM
Oh, this is just perfect! I'm glad you're doing this, Foxy. You have so many cool stories to tell, and I can't imagine a better guy to tell 'em....
Bravo! Be sure to keep in touch. Remember those Bucs and Lightning and Devil Rays around here....:) love, Betsy
Posted by: Betsy Lynch | December 26, 2005 12:05 AM
As young children, believeing in Santa Claus, my parents would tell us "if Santa sees you while here, he'll take away the presents". This ploy was to keep us from peeking in the living room when and if we got up in the night to use the only bathroom - just around the corner from the living room. So, when "nature called" I would carefully sneak down the stairs all the while keeping my back to the living room so as not to get even a glimpse of dear old Saint Nick if he happened to still be about his appointed rounds. It worked for years and in talking with all my siblings they remember it too. We all know it's why we still love being surprised by the gifts we receive at Christmas.
Posted by: Grace | December 24, 2005 8:11 AM
Hi Fox!!!
You've come a long way, my friend, from the days when you wouldn't go near a computer. I'm glad a few of us at the middle school dragged you by the ear into the world of technology.
Anyhow...your BLOG is neat!! And your Christmas tradition is wonderful. Thanks for sharing it! It's funny, in all the years we've been friends, I've never heard about your special tradition until I read about it in your blog. I'll be thinking of you and Goose at noon today!
We missed you yesterday at Stafford. Nobody was singing "Happy Holidays" (well if you want to call that deep monotone chanting a form of singing). We did laugh about it, though!!
Have a Merry Christmas, Fox!
Posted by: Gale Carroll | December 24, 2005 7:46 AM