One of My Favorite Christmas Songs - Roseanne Dowell

  One of my favorite Christmas songs is Round and Round the Christmas Tree by Bing Crosby.  We start singing it right about now.
I'm sure by now you know I love Christmas. It's my favorite time of year. There's something magical about it for me. I'm not sure what it is, maybe it's my childhood memories or maybe it's being with family. I love everything about this time of year, shopping, the hustle and bustle of getting ready, buying gifts, even wrapping them. Not that I have many to wrap any more. Even though our family has grown by leaps and bounds, finances haven't. I've had to cut back and for my kids and the married (or coupled) grandchildren, I often make them something. The rest of my grandchildren get something small to open and a gift of money. To me spending time with my family is more important than any gift. It wasn't much different when we were growing up. Money was tight back then, also and gifts weren't plentiful. Honestly, I hardly remember any of my Christmas presents. Memories from the time spent with my aunts, uncles and cousins - well like the commercial says - Priceless.
Every Christmas Eve, my aunt and uncle came to our house with my four cousins for dinner. We had a traditional dinner -which I make to this day, but instead of having it on Christmas Eve, we do it a week before Christmas. It gives us another day to celebrate and be together.
After dinner, we always went to my grandparents' house where other aunts and uncles gathered. There weren't any gifts to open for anyone but my grandparents. Until this moment, I can't honestly say I noticed. Christmas wasn't about the gifts.Christmas Day we went to my aunt's and uncle's for dinner. Yes, the very same ones we spent Christmas Eve with. Again, no gifts were exchanged. It was a time for family, love, and making memories. Yes, Christmas is my favorite time of year and always will be.
To each and everyone of you, I wish you all a Blessed and Merry Christmas.

My book, Time To Love Again is about a widow who faces another lonely Christmas - Fifty-eight year old, Rose Asbury  doesn’t care that people think she's a recluse or that the neighborhood kids thinks she's a grouch. She just wants to be left alone. She doesn’t need anyone and no one needs her and that’s just fine. At least she didn’t until this year. For some reason this year is different. Suddenly, Rose is melancholy and discontent with her life. And the man next door doesn’t help matters. He insists on speaking to her. So her stomach tumbles every time she sees him, that doesn’t mean anything. Hunger pangs, nerves, Rose just wishes he’d leave her alone. Or does she? To top it all off, his granddaughter and her friends insist on playing in Rose's yard, sledding, building snowmen and throwing snowballs at her house. Then Rose's sister’s ghost shows up and life changes drastically. Available at Amazon

Below is the song Round and Round The Christmas Tree. You can hear it on: YouTube

Round and round the Christmas tree
Presents hanging there for you and me
Lights all shining merrily

Christmas a week away

A-ring around the Christmas tree
Children making up a melody
Grown-ups laughing happily
Christmas a day away

Wishing, hoping, boxes to open
But we agree it's right to wait
Turkey and dressing, after the blessing
And there's just a night to wait

Round and round the Christmas tree
Opening presents with the family
One for you and two for me
Oh what a Christmas Day

Ding dong, ding dong, ding dong,
Ding dong, ding dong, ding dong
Tra-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la

Round and round the Christmas tree
Presents hanging there for you and me,
Lights all shining merrily
Christmas a week away

Lights all shining merrily
Christmas a week away
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la

Wishing, hoping, boxes to open
But we agree it's right to wait
Turkey and dressing, after the blessing
And there's just a night to wait

Round and round the Christmas tree
Opening presents with the family
One for you and two for me
Oh what a Christmas Day
Oh what a Christmas Day
Oh what a Christmas Day
Oh what a Christmas Day
Oh what a Christmas Day

 You can find my latest book All's Well That Ends Well at Amazon