The holidays are here and New Orleans is the place to celebrate in style!  Make your dinner reservations – the restaurants are ready for the Revillion feasts!  For those of you unfamiliar with the Revillion tradition, let me tell you about this festive New Orleans Christmas custom.

“Revillion” means “awakening” and these Creole feasts began during the 19th century, a practice borrowed from passed down from their European heritage.  Originally, Catholic Creoles spent Christmas Eve fasting, and the Revillion dinners were prepared to be enjoyed after Midnight Mass.  Families would return to their homes after the late service ravenous to enjoy the sumptuous Revillion feast that they had prepared.  Overtime, American Christmas customs replaced the Creole holiday customs and Revillion feasts faded away.

The Revillion feasts experienced a reawakening in the 1990’s – and as with other customs, it evolved to accommodate the contemporary New Orleans lifestyle.  Modern Revillion feasts are available in a variety of wonderful restaurants throughout the month of December.  Participating restaurants prepare menus featuring their interpretation of traditional Revillion dishes.  When you are staying at 1896 O’Malley House, make reservations at one of our wonderful restaurants to participate in this New Orleans’ Creole Christmas tradition.

Visit this website for Revillion menus in over 40 local restaurants.

For more information about Revillion feasts, visit FrenchQuarter.com and and About.com – New Orleans Travel.