Réveillon is a historic tradition in New Orleans, with ties to France. If you’re local to the area, you probably have heard of it, but you might not know it’s history.

The word réveillon derived from the French word meaning “awakening”. Réveillon started as a meal served after midnight mass on Christmas Eve. This tradition came to be when the city of New Orleans was almost entirely Catholic. Families would return home from midnight mass hungry, so they served a meal! These meals would be prepared in advance, waiting for families to return home from service. The menu is traditional made up of breakfast foods, such as egg dishes, pastries and breads, even puddings. But you could also find New Orleans staples like turtle soup, oysters, and grillades on the menu. The drink of choice was cordials, champagne, and wine. These dinners were an all-night affair and could last for many hours, even until dawn. But by the 1940s, Réveillon dinners could only be found in very traditional homes and was practically extinct due to the rise of other holiday traditions like, Christmas trees, purchasing gifts for children, and the craze of Christmas shopping.

Take a look at this video clip from my interview with Great Day Louisiana to learn more about Réveillon and see our table top inspiration that would be easy to recreate for your holiday celebrations!