Here’s another little ditty of the Zips plus uncle Matt mixing it up Jib Jab style.

The holiday buying season sometime in the late 70’s must have been momentous for a clothing company named Leonardo Strassi. One Christmas, my Dad’s family gave too many zippered ski vests, bell-bottom jeans, or wide-collared flower shirts from the same store. These items of good taste were all packaged lovingly within the same kind of black garment box from Leonardo Strassi. When all of these suspicious boxes were retrieved from under the tree, then opened at once, the legend of “The Box” was born into Rzepkowski Family lore.

“The Box” is a bit strange by today’s garment box standards. It is all black, illustrated only by a Unabomber-looking gentleman with a gigolo moustache and some fine sunglasses. It is a thin box that only can contain the slightest of gifts. Underwear? Yes. Sweatshirt? No way! Every Christmas since that time, the Boxes have arrived under the tree. At first, there were some chuckles as Leonardo showed his classic good looks. Then, in the early 80’s the family realized that these boxes were becoming treasured family heirlooms to be passed down from generation to generation. The rule became that the holder of “The Box” must regift it to another family member sometime in the upcoming year. It was used not only for Christmas, but also for Birthdays, anniversaries, and any other momentous life occasion.

So rich became this tradition that my grandmother began inscribing the lid with the giver and receiver of “The Box”, the event, and the date. After 30 years of keeping up this ritual, “The Box” has become a gift in of itself. Opening one provides many minutes of joy as you first feign surprise that you didn’t know what it was, then recite the previous holders of the treasure, and finally let the awesome responsibility of passing it on set in. The younger generation can all recall when we received our first Box.

Interior of Leonardo Strassi Box, 2007

As legend has it, there are only 4 Boxes left in circulation (no one really knows), each with a colorful history of birthdays, Christmases and anniversaries gone by. The histories reveal new family members, special events, and of course 30 years of Christmas memories. So, this year instead of a Nintendo Wii, or an iPod, a tattered black Box is on the top of my list.

Mason with his first Box in 2002

A note to the Rzepkowski clan. If you have more clarity on the details of this story, please leave it in the comments. I submitted this story to a request at the office for holiday traditions. Quite honestly I couldn’t remember all of the details, so this account sounded close enough, but I want to get the record straight

Christmas 2007, a Box returns to the Rzepkowski’s of Webster
As if she were channeling Leo himself, Tricia executed the perfect reveal of the “Box”. This time around, Leo was overstuffed with a fleece sweatshirt which disguised the normally slim form factor. When she tore into the present, the first thing we saw was the Gigolo man staring right back at us. Have a look at the amazing video…

We celebrated our “Chicago Christmas” on Sunday before we take the kiddies to Rochester for Christmas on the 24th. We ate mucho Polish Sausage, pierogies, and I got one of these (see below). Can anything be better than a HUGE Buffalo Bills victory, opening presents, and eating tube meat? I think not.

iPod 40GB Zippy Special Edition.

The joy of having kids is doing things that you never got to do as a kid. I’m not sure all of the different things that I’m going to force Mason and Anna to try just so I can relive my childhood, but building a gingerbread house was a good start. I never did one as a kid, and I’m sure that to do one from scratch would stop any normal human. We went to Jewel and bought a boxed one. You simply mix up the icing and start gluing pre-baked pieces together. It even comes with a plastic tray that serves as the platform. We had so much fun, and so did the kids. What can be better than lots of icing and candy? Let the holiday cheer begin.

Father’s Day was excellent this year. Mason and Anna, with a little help from Tricia gave me a bicycle trailer. So Saturday we had a great ride along Lake Michigan from Navy Pier, up to North Avenue Beach for some sand throwing and chewing ( a favorite 2 year old activity), then to the Lincoln Park Zoo for some animal watching, then back to Navy Pier for some fireworks. It was an incredible display. They must spend some serious money to put that on twice a week.

Western New Yorkers everywhere unite. It’s Dyngus Day! A day to throw water on girls and hit them with pussywillows…and for girls to throw ‘dishes & crockery’ at the boys in delight. It’s a Buffalo Polish tradition as festive as the Broadway Market and Butter Lambs. Thanks to Rachelle for featuring one of those badboys.

This was a fantastic Easter weekend. Time was spent eating mucho chocolate and searching for many plastic eggs. Mason and Anna think this may be the best holiday of the year.

I had fun finding a clue about what we did when the clock struck 12.

This year we had a relaxing Christmas at home in Chicago. Christmas Eve we spent with friends drinking, and whooping it up. At one point we were playing ‘Fact or Crap’ followed by Trivial Pursuit DVD Edition. Christmas morning we spent at home just the four of us. It was so exciting to see Mason come down the stairs in his own house to see that Santa left him a tricycle and helmet. He loved it. This is also the year of the Little People. Our entire playroom is overrun with the cute little plastic figures and associated playsets. After Christmas we managed to get the house back in order in anticipation of Anna’s baptism that’s only a week away. Now we’re looking forward to some New Year’s frivolity. Bring on 2004!

Two little elves.

What a way to shake off a bad week. We had a great time travelling to Western New York for the 4th of July holiday. My wife purchased a welcomed addition to our travelling entourage. With 6 hours of Noggin to keep Junior busy, we had a quick trip. I got to watch a couple movies while driving. No, it wasn’t dangerous, you just put in movies you’ve seen before and listen to 90%, watch 10%.

We went to my sister’s wedding shower at my parents place on Conesus Lake. We actually made bridal gowns out of toilet paper. Afterwards was the beautiful ring of fire – everyone puts up flares on their shoreline so it looks like…you guessed it, a ring of fire. Mason got his first taste of lake water, and I’m still convinced that I must have a home on a lake as my permanent residence. My parents and family spoiled Mason silly which was very cool.

Onward to Tricia’s parents, where we had outstanding food. Roast pork, deepfried turkey, pulled pork. Come to think of it we had a total pig out fest. Much beer was drank. Much Q*bert was played. Yes, Adam has a ROM of Q*bert on his PC. And Matt and I played it for hours, discovering the joys that 80’s gamers must have had. I never played it that much. Nana and Poppy spoiled the Mason, so he is just brimming with memories.

After an excruciating 13 hour trip home, we’re all tired, and afraid of the work that awaits us.

So we went to the White Sox game yesterday for Father’s Day. It was a 1-0 loss to the Padres, but who cares about the Sox anyways.

There was a petting zoo outside. So Mason got to pet his first goat.

And what baseball game doesn’t have pony rides outside too? So Mason got to ride his first pony.

Oh yeah, and we watched a little baseball.

Yes, Mommy was there too. Thanks guys it was fun. Being a Dad is pretty cool!