Cajun Night Before Christmas!



This morning we headed out to River Road.

We had beignets and coco at our favorite lil shop.

Houmas House is featured above.

It's one of the plantation homes along the River Road


Ohhh soo yummy!



Oh the excitement...ha!

Below is a shot of the little coffee house.

Next door they have the sweetest little shops.

Inside one of them had two of my favorite books.

I can remember reading this one to my baby dolls...

In a Cajun accent of course ;)


This books just plain makes me laugh.
It's so true here.



Another shot of Houmas House all decorated for the Christmas season.

Beautiful!


One of our traditions here is the bonfires on the levee.

The levee is this dirt wall to hold back the Mississippi when it spills over.

The bonfires are built to light the bayou for Papa Noel.

This way he can see to deliver all the goodies ;)


Most of the bonfires are built in the traditional fashion but some sport neat themes.

A little cabin like this one above  was built in memory of a lost loved one.


It looks like it may rain tonight so many were preparing theirs with diesel and paper.


This one was built to replicate an air boat.



A 4x4 truck here.

They don't look all that big but trust me...

some of these are many stories high!


It never gets old riding down the road to a view like this.

Oh the anticipation of tonight!

As soon as the sun sets the signal is given and all the bonfires are lit.

The homes on the opposite side of the road were already lined with families.

Gumbo pots over burners were getting a head start.


And finally...

This stop always make my Christmas Eve drive complete.

Below is the Manresa House of Retreat.
It was once a school that my Grandpa attended.
HUGE!


Every year they set out the manger and it is just perfect.

They are all life size and it just takes my breath away.


Do y'all have Christmas Eve traditions?

xo Susie
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17 comments:

  1. Love hearing about the tradition of the bonfires along the river, Have a wonderful Christmas weekend! xo

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  2. Looks like you had a wonderful day. Loved seeing all your great pictures...Merry Christmas

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  3. Oh man this makes me laugh! We are so tinder dry out here if someone lit a match {let alone a bonfire} half the city would go up! I bet it looks awesome though! And although we lost our Cajun a few generations ago, we will be having our traditional cajun creamed corn {made with a roux and all! ;} on Christmas night!

    MERRY, MERRY Christmas!

    m ^..^

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  4. We lived in Louisiana for many years and never got to see the Christmas Eve bonfires. :( Maybe someday!

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  5. I would love to take my kids to see that someday. Merry Christmas!

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  6. What a cool tradition! Something I would love to see someday. Can't wait to ask my Louisiana friends if they do this.
    Merry Christmas

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  7. I have heard of the Christmas bonfires ever since I moved here over 40 years ago, but have never seen them. I think I will add that to my bucket list!

    Merry Christmas.
    Carolyn

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  8. Oh, those bonfires look amazing! What a wonderful fact to learn!

    Merry Christmas from London, England.

    Cxx

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  9. Susie, You made my mouth water just looking at those beignets! We used to live in New Orleans and loved to go to the Quarter and eat beignets! Delicious!

    Love the Houmas House! The tradition of bonfires on the levee is really neat!

    And the life-size Nativity is awesome!

    Thanks for the Cajun tour for Christmas!!

    Merry Christmas to your sweet family!

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  10. This all pics are look really beautiful.It all related with christmas decorations.All things are really nice.I like little coffee house.

    50cc moped

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  11. Susie!
    Thank you for sharing! Even my guys enjoyed this post! (Absolutely over the top fantastic!)
    I'm Catholic and I can make a roux and a I'm on my way to Amazon to find those books! So Cool!
    ~Lynne
    [w/L]

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  12. I love seeing all the wonderful pics and the fun Christmas traditions that you have shared. Would love to see the bonfires at night. Bet that is so neat!

    Have a blessed 2012!

    Tänia of
    Simply God's Girl

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  13. I loved this post! Oh to be able to have a nativity set like that!!! I WANT ONE FOR OUR FARM!!

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  14. Suzie,I recieved your post in an email from my sister,Vicki, of My Favorite Things, and would love for our Mom to see it. She does not have access to a computer, so one of my sistersthat lives nearby, will need to have her over to view it. My Mom grew up in South Louisiana, and hardly ever gets to return for a visit, although her entire family ,those who are still living anyway,still reside there. I know she would love to see your wonderful post on this Cajun tradition.Mom is 86 and her health is declining more and more.Thanks for sharing this fascinating tradition.

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  15. Thanks so much for showing the bonfires! I've never heard of that before and love the tradition. My husband grew up in Arkansas (30 min. over the Lousiana border) and we were given the Cajun night before Christmas the first Christmas of our marriage (me from California). We laugh and laugh!

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Thanks for stopping by. It's always so nice to hear from you.

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