Still a place like no other!

Earlier tonight a friend and I were talking about going to New Orleans around the Christmas holidays which reminded me of the really cool tradition of Reveillon and Papa Noel hotel rates. If you've never heard of these really neat New Orleans traditions, here is a brief explanation taken directly from the neworleansonline.com site:

Revellion--A French Dining Tradition

During the mid-1800s, New Orleans' Creole families celebrated the "Reveillon" (French for "awakening") 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 with an elaborate meal. The meal consisted of egg dishes, sweetbreads, and Creole specialties such as daube glace. It often ended with a cake filled with 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 festive 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 nightly during the Christmas season in restaurants throughout the city. Menus combine ageless Creole cuisine with more contemporary New Orleans dishes, but the spirit of the past remains. In fact, three of our Reveillon restaurants–Commander's Palace, Galatoire's, and Tujague's–are more than 100 years old! So revel in nostalgia. Join us for the Reveillon–the authentic taste of Christmas New Orleans Style. (Taken directly from http://www.neworleansonline.com/neworleans/seasonal/christmas/reveillonmenus.html)


Papa Noel Hotel Rates

December 1-31, 2007 based on availability
Linger longer with lower rates created just for the holidays!
Hotels throughout the city welcome you to Christmas New Orleans Style with discounted Papa Noël room rates. These special rates make it easier for you to spend more time enjoying the great food, music and events of the season.
This page details the offerings of the wide variety of participating hotels, bed & breakfasts and guesthouses. From historic homes along Esplanade Avenue to the courtyard classics of the French Quarter, from full-service, modern downtown hotels to luxurious inns in the heart of the Garden District—you choose the corner of New Orleans you want to experience this December.
Thanks to Papa Noël, your New Orleans holiday vacation will be more affordable than ever! (Taken directly from http://www.neworleansonline.com/neworleans/seasonal/christmas/papanoel.html)