CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS IN NEW ORLEANS!

DECEMBER 1ST THRU DECEMBER 24TH

What is Reveillon?

In the late 1800s and the first decade or so of the 20^th century, New Orleans’ Creole families celebrated Reveillon (derived from the French word reveiller, which means “to awaken”) twice during the holidays. The first Reveillon came after Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, when families returned from St. Louis Cathedral to break a daylong fast. This meal typically consisted of egg dishes, sweetbreads, and Creole specialties, such as daube glace. It often ended with a cake filled with a fruit confection, dripping with wine or rum, and topped with whipped cream.

New Year’s Eve brought another Reveillon, usually shared among several families. This more elaborate meal featured eggnog, fancy pastries, meringues, sugar sculptures, and crystallized fruits. By late afternoon, families would return home to a light supper followed by a night of singing and dancing – with wine and whiskey for the gentlemen and cordials and liqueurs for the ladies.

Today’s Reveillon is celebrated throughout the Holiday season in restaurants throughout the City. Menus combine ageless Creole cuisine with more contemporary New Orleans dishes, but the spirit of the past remains. Revel in nostalgia and join us for Reveillon – the authentic taste of Holidays New Orleans Style-at Annunciation Restaurant!