You may think of Rosie on the House as the most popular home-improvement radio broadcast in Arizona. To me, Rosie on the House means something much more… literal.
For the six kids who grew up in Rosie’s house, Christmas officially began on the Eve with the reading of a Cajun Night Before Christmas, because you know, chere, dem dere flyin’ reindeer what you call dem, dey can’t fly low through dem cypress kness and Spanish moss, no! Who better to share that story with y’all than my grandpartners, Baby Kay and Dr. Rosie?
Here’s an audio recording: Click the following link to play Originally aired on Rosie on the House Christmas Eve 2005.
Shortly after the reading and our second glass of Southern eggnog is when we’d hear Santa Claus on the roof of our Scottsdale home, stomping around in his big, black, cowboy boots, jingling a string of holiday bells and shouting, in a curiously familiar Cajun accent, “Ho, ho, ho!” into the chimney so we’d be sure to hear him as he unloaded our presents from his sleigh. Tune-into the podcast below to hear Rosie tell his version of this story.
We were always already tucked into our beds, eyes wide open, hoping that our parents, Rosie and Jennifer, had been wrong when they warned us that Santa never entered the homes of boys and girls who weren’t asleep.
That stompin’ Santa, of course, had Rosie cheeks and a big Rosie voice. He really did climb up onto the roof every Christmas Eve yelling, “Ho, ho, ho!” to get us kids to go to sleep.
We didn’t. Once the noise trailed off, we raced to the Christmas tree to see what he left. We were up so early, in fact, that our parents had to make a rule: We couldn’t wake them until 5 a.m. — and we had to have the coffee ready when we did.
Then we unwrapped our toys and gag gifts before chowing down on what we’ve always called a “Joe” breakfast — a skillet of potatoes, onions, eggs, bacon and cheese, watching whichever movie Santa had left us that year and taking a nap. Then it was off to Mama Kay and Papa Rosie’s house, where we spent the rest of Christmas with aunts, uncles and cousins — sometimes 30 or more of us gathered for the day — and more presents and food and singing with Uncle Pierre playing Linus & Lucy from A Charlie Brown Christmas on the piano complimented by the rest of the great family pianists including Aunt Karen and Baby Kay herself!
Like all family Christmases, ours has changed as we’ve gotten older, welcomed new family members and said a sad goodbye to others. But the memories are so crisp, and our traditions — food, music, family — all remain.
I’d like to share some of our Romero family Christmas traditions with you. Starting first with some of my favorite Christmas songs always heard around the holidays. If you are like my sister Rachael, you started listening to Christmas music back in August…
Artist -> Album -> Favorite Song on Album
Rosie Romero Jr. with some of his kids and grandkids
Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers -> Once Upon a Christmas -> Once Upon a Christmas
What would a Romero Christmas be without some good pecans? By popular demand, here’s Mama Kay’s recipe for her famous Cajun-spiced, roasted pecans, along with Rosie’s Buttermilk Biscuits and the family secrets on deep-fried turkeys! Make sure you read the safety tips for deep-frying your Christmas turkey first!
I hope your holidays will bring back warm memories for you, too, and that you’ll put a little Cajun spice in this year’s celebration!
Sincerely,
~Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler!
PODCAST
Rosie, Romey and Jennifer share some of their Christmas Eve family traditions and stories over the years as kids and when their kids had kids! Including a special reading by Rosie’s Dad and Mom, Dr. Romero and Baby Kay, of the Cajun Night Before Christmas. A taste from Rosie’s south Louisiana roots. Plus, of course, we help some homeowners with their questions.
For the six kids who grew up in Rosie’s house, Christmas officially 
began on the Eve with the reading of a Cajun Night Before Christmas, because you know, chere, dem dere flyin’ reindeer what you call dem, dey can’t fly low through dem cypress kness and Spanish moss, no! Who better to share that story with y’all than my grandpartners, Baby Kay and Dr. Rosie? 
Then we unwrapped our toys and gag gifts before chowing down on what we’ve always called a “Joe” breakfast — a skillet of potatoes, onions, eggs, bacon and cheese, watching whichever movie Santa had left us that year and taking a nap. Then it was off to Mama Kay and Papa Rosie’s house, where we spent the rest of Christmas with aunts, uncles and cousins — sometimes 30 or more of us gathered for the day — and more presents and food and singing with Uncle Pierre playing Linus & Lucy from A Charlie Brown Christmas on the piano complimented by the rest of the great family pianists including Aunt Karen and Baby Kay herself!
