VIVA NOLA December 2018

SOMOS NOLA
Reveillon: Just like Nochebuena,
but here in New Orleans
by Christopher Ard
Pork tamales. If there?s one flavor
that reminds me of Christmas, it?s
that of pork tamales. Well, to be
honest, gumbo is also one. There?s
nothing like a hot bowl of gumbo
on a cold, wet night to get me into
the holiday mood.
I didn?t know it when I was
younger, but my cultural
background was a blessing. On
the Mexican side of the family, our
table was full of tamales, tortillas,
beans, rice, and turkey. On the
Louisiana side of the family, it was
shrimp creole, oyster dressing,
gumbo, and a variety of other
dishes my cajun grandfather
would whip up from his garden.
Yes, I was blessed with the best
meals at Christmas, but little did I
know, although the food was
different, the tradition was the
same. Long before the United
States?Christmas culture of trees,
gifts, and consumerism arrived in
New Orleans, French families
carried on the old tradition of a
Reveillon--a big dinner on
Christmas Eve filled with family
and friends. Sure, Christmas Day
is great, but Christmas Eve is the
real party!
themselves with traditional meals,
Latino families follow a similar
tradition. Nochebuena is what
many Spanish-speaking people
call Christmas Eve.
In New Orleans, French families
carried on the old tradition of a
Reveillon--a big dinner on
Christmas Eve filled with family
and friends.
From Spain to Colombia to
Mexico, families gather together
on Nochebuena to eat, attend
midnight Mass, dance, and
exchange gifts. While the two
names for this celebration are
different, the purpose is the
same--to bring families together
for the holiest night of the Catholic
calendar.
Of course, Latinos are a diverse
people. Many of us are far from
home and won?t get to see our
families this year and not every
Latino practices Catholicism. No
matter, if you find yourself in New
Orleans this holiday season, you
too can partake in this French, or
Spanish, tradition.
Since the 1990?s, the New Orleans
tourism engine has encouraged
restaurants to offer Reveillon
menus in order to attract tourists
during the typically slow holiday
period--and it?s not just on
Christmas Eve.
Keep your eyes out this holiday
season for Reveillon menus and
specials. While you may not be
able to get home this year, you
can do your part to continue the
tradition of gathering at
Nochebuena right here in New
Orleans--at least with friends over
an incredible meal.
If you?re fortunate enough to
know someone with a Louisiana
background, you may have been
invited to one of these large
meals. According to Wikipedia,
within the United States, it?s
something unique to New
Orleans--or is it?
Just as French-American gather
for Christmas Eve and stuff
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