What do you do the day after Christmas? Are you happy-tired from late nights prepping and a predawn wake up to see what Santa left? Are you deliriously stuffed with delicious Christmas treats? Is December 26 your recoup and recovery day?
Well, y'all, I'm here to remind you that Christmas is only just beginning on December 25, so we're not done celebrating yet. It’s time for the old French custom of Réveillon, one of our most beloved traditions which, of course, involves even more food and drink.
The traditional Réveillon was a special celebratory meal served following the return from midnight Mass on Christmas Eve and again following midnight Mass on New Year’s Eve. "Réveillon" means “awake”—because why not feast on fois gras, fromage, oysters, canapes, and caviar at three a.m.? The Savior is here! Do you think He wants us to just sit on the couch all day, or does He want us to gather for fancy food and champagne?
In New Orleans, Réveillon season actually extends from mid-December through New Year's Eve. Participating restaurants offer prix fixe menus of special holiday dishes and cocktails, allowing you to enjoy some culinary legends that your budget might not typically accommodate. In our family, we always enjoy an adults-only Réveillon the day after Christmas precisely because it's an ideal opportunity to continue celebrating without a single minute of prep work. Plus, I repeat: fois gras, fromage, oysters, canapes, caviar.
Some general tips for how to enjoy Réveillon in New Orleans:
Double check your dates; most participating restaurants offer Réveillon menus during their regular hours, but some offer the promotion on weekdays only.
Absolutely make a reservation. This is a very popular local promotion.
Beverages are generally not included in the promotional menus, but special cocktail menus are often available.
Take the opportunity to mark a special-occasion. You can easily spend at least double on many of the upscale restaurants' regular menus, so use Réveillon as a chance to celebrate somewhere that wouldn’t usually be in range. And please dress up! It’s worth it to engage all your senses in making a special memory.
Most restaurants are beautifully decorated for the holidays; take the opportunity to snap a few special family photos while you're out.
If it makes sense based upon your restaurant pick, add more sparkle to your evening with a stroll through the Roosevelt lobby, a drink at the Carousel Bar, or a streetcar ride down St Charles Avenue to see historic mansions gloriously lit up. These are some of our favorite free and almost-free ways to stir up New Orleans Christmas magic.
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