Pop Shoes Christmas Traditions

Pop Shoes is the first love and business story of the Côté-Reco group. It all started in 1920 (yes yes!) in Deschaillons-sur-Saint-Laurent, where Lucien Côté ran a family general store. Already, the man was thinking big and was able to develop a remarkable wholesale network, which his son Réal then took over. The latter founded the Pop Shoes franchises and developed Grand V Speed ​​the Commercial Group.

A family story, here is a beautiful one and proud to carry its story after three long generations of passion. And who says family, says well-anchored values ​​and shared traditions. That's why here are some stories of holiday rituals, homegrown, that will inspire you or, at the very least, allow you to get to know these magnificent humans who love working for you so much!

David Lacasse, owner of Pop St-Georges Shoes

At David, the Holidays find their heart in that of three beautiful children to infuse beautiful moments of introspection from the past year, through a small personalized jar.

In fact, not only are holiday evenings enlivened with family board games, but everyone takes the opportunity to wear their new pajamas. We drink hot chocolate with the children and small special cocktails with the parents.

Together, David and his family open and discover the jar of beautiful family memories of the year, written on small pieces of paper. Throughout the year, when a family member experiences a beautiful moment, he or she writes it down and places it in the memory jar. The tradition is therefore to read the content, together, during the family Christmas Eve. Remember, celebrate, love each other!

David Côté-Tremblay, senior designer

At David, the first holiday tradition was established by his parents: it is the Christmas tree with red balls! The family activity takes place as soon as the first snow falls, in December. It begins by sled, four-wheeler or snowmobile and consists of looking for a tree filled with red balls. And this tree, which was chosen by the christmas magic, tells them thanks to his red balls, that he is the one to cut and take to the house to be decorated!

Richard McDonald, Buyer

It's the hockey boot in the street after dinner and before desserts and cheeses that sits at the top of winter rituals and holiday traditions at Richard's. The highlight of the evening: a fire near the skating rink to warm up while admiring the result, all in ice, of several hours of hard work!

Catherine Jacques, buyer

Catherine shares a tradition of precious holiday with her mother and has recently initiated her son there!

Thus, since his youth and until now, they decorate together a large Christmas tree which reigns at the very center of a playful and well-stocked Christmas village. What happiness now that she is an adult to double the pleasure; indeed, the Christmas ritual now occurs both at her home and at her mother's.

Claudie Laroche, Marketing Director

On Claudie's side, the heart is at the party when the stomachs are well fed. Tourtière and sandwich bread, if these classics are not there, it does not matter! And while over the years many have swapped the well-wrapped gift for a less personalized gift card, Claudie and her family make it a point of honor to have a proper unwrapping session every year.

Annie Auger, Support and IT Support Director

Here, the pleasure also comes from the belly: at Annie's they cook a turkey, a ham and eggs to make cheese breads sliced ​​lengthwise, or sandwich bread. The annual tradition therefore consists of teamwork: everyone sits down at the table, one member of the family begins by spreading the slices of turkey, a second spreads the ham, the third the eggs and a fourth person raises the bread in layers. . It's a team effort and everyone takes pleasure in tasting the assembled culinary work.

Mylène Malenfant, owner of Pop Shoes Rivière-du-loup

Here too, we have fun outdoors: a day of sliding with the family followed by a good hot chocolate, skating on the frozen lake, which ends up in a huge area for playing hockey. But in addition to winter sports, there are also elves caught using a trap and chocolate, from the beginning of December. And what is their favorite villain? They hide the winter boots!

While the elves are doing bad things, the family opens their hearts to children from underprivileged families by buying some presents to offer them. She thus wishes to inculcate in the youngest the sharing and the desire to give.

Renée Madore, owner of Madawaska Pop Shoes

The Madawaska store owner, Renée, has a truly dedicated, involved and committed 19-year-old employee. The teenager was particularly fond of a pair of boots and decided to save five dollars each paycheck to afford them. Renée, in order to reward her for her good services, has kindly decided to give it to her as a Christmas present. Awww…!

Nina Tremblay, graphic designer

Nina and her boyfriend love Christmas! They buy each other advent calendars filled with good chocolate. In their cocoon together, without children, they want to create beautiful traditions, just for them, around Christmas and the Holidays. In addition, this period is synonymous with beautiful memories since their meeting took place during this one!

The lovebirds, from mid-November, release one or two Christmas decoration(s) per week. From a little stuffed Christmas llama lovingly placed in the living room to the stair railing adorned with dense fir trees, the finishing touch is of course the Christmas tree which they decorate while listening to background music and tasting a house mulled wine.

Sophie Maillé, graphic designer

Sophie has just moved into a new home with her boyfriend, her puppy Tom and her cat Trivia. Alas, no tree or nativity scene would resist their energy! However, it is not the desire to decorate the house that would be lacking. However, she smiles as she recalls the tradition in the family home as her mother pays close attention to the heroes of the nativity scene. "Under the dress of the character of Mary, there is a void that allows mother to slip the little Jesus there. When midnight strikes on the night of the 24th to the 25th, she takes him out of there to formalize his birth", she laughs. 

Hélène Harvey, manager of Pop Chateauguay Shoes

Native of the kingdom of the Tourtière du Lac, for Hélène there are no celebrations without this huge and delicious recipe to share. " I take a month in advance to make desserts that are cooked from generation to generation in my family. ", she explains. At the beginning of the service, there is the presentation of the traditional chicken broth - which her children do not find so good, but which she insists on! - , which is always the first course served on the packed table on New Year's Eve. Then there are the GUMBO breads, the meat pies and then, of course, the inevitable tourtière. " To name all this, the emotions take me because these are traditions that are part of my childhood until today. I still see the big family reunited, with my brothers, my grandparents, my aunts and uncles all around the table.”, she concludes nostalgically.

Donald Robitaille, supervisor

For ten years, the excellent spaghetti sauce created by Donald Robitaille, supervisor of Pop Shoes stores, has been found on several tables in Quebec City! For what? Because every year, in a burst of generosity, he went to see organizations in his region to obtain the names of three families in need. He then made sure to go and buy groceries for them between December 20 and 23. “I was disguising myself in Santa Claus and I was going to hand over the food and a spaghetti sauce cruchon. Often it ended in a party! (laughs)», he remembers still moved, in front of the reactions that this aroused.

Carolene Tessier, manager of Pop Shoes in Hawkesbury

The magic of Christmas at Carolene Tessier sets in early in December. On the first morning, the elves come out of hiding to multiply the madness until December 24th. The second week, we activate the fireplace, the Christmas songs play on a loop, then the tree lights up. The day ends with a viewing of one of the films in the series Mom I missed the plane (Home Alone) until everyone falls asleep. "It's one of the best times of the year!", enthuses Carolene. 

Alain Pitre, new Pop Shoes franchisee in New Richmond

Already the owner of a store and a new Pop Shoes franchisee, Alain Pitre has been proposing an initiative in collaboration with the Knights of Columbus in his region for 7 years now. It is a tree in which there are several envelopes in which are written the sex and age of a child living in a family in need. The customer takes an envelope and then brings a gift to the latter. The Knights of Columbus then ensure the distribution of gifts a few days before New Year's Eve. "Each year, no envelope is left in the tree. Our customers are very generous!", proudly explains Sara Kim Bourdages, web and communications manager. 

And you, what are your best traditions? The holidays are a time for sharing, and like all the times we meet and advise you during your purchases in store, exchanging is for our team the real gift behind each year spent by your side!