Bayou traditions offer unique opportunities

While good boys and girls in other parts of the world anticipate the arrival of Santa Claus on a snowy Christmas Eve, children of all ages in south Louisiana know that Papa Noel riding his pirogue pulled by eight tiny alligators along the bayou is not the only tradition unique to this area.

Louisianan culture has become popular in many areas around the globe because of the unique flavors, sights and sounds found nowhere else on earth. The way we celebrate Christmas is as special as beignets, cypress and zydeco.

Plantation Parties

Blending history into the culture is nothing new in Louisiana, where residents of the lowlands cherish their heritage. Nowhere is this better realized than at the many historic plantation mansions that open their doors to visitors during Christmas.

Whether it is a Cajun fais do do or a Creole ball, many plantations open their doors with decorations and traditions like nowhere else.

As a sampling, Idlewile Plantation in Patterson is among those that are decked out for Christmas visitors with light tours. St. Joseph Plantation in Vacherie is one of many along the Old River Road decorated for a festive season.

In Napoleonville, the Madewood Plantation is one in the region offering Christmas banquets and brunches.

Bonfire Attractions

The tradition of bonfires during Christmas in Louisiana dates back more than 200 years. Some sources say the purpose was originally of a practical nature as fires built on levees and banks marked the route along bayous to religious services. Others contend that bonfires light the path for Papa Noel to make his rounds on Christmas Eve. Either way, the building of bonfires has expanded to include a long list of celebrations that take place between Christmas Eve and New Years Day.

Cane reed structures towering 30 feet are traditional for the bonfire practice as the material would crack and pop while burning. In more recent years other woods, including willow, have been used, often time with firecrackers attached.

Bonfire towers are typically four, six or eight sided with long poles establishing corners and center support. More creative towers are constructed in the shape of ships or other personalized designs.

Building bonfires has remained a tradition even with the decline of using water routes for daily travel. Bonfires are one way to light up the season.

Water Parades

While plenty of towns and cities have Christmas parades, south Louisiana communities differ by offering brightly lit and decorated boats along bayous during the season.

In Lafourche Parish a boat parade takes place at Golden Meadow. Organizers are still working on an exact date to participate.

Celebrating life on the water is a long standing tradition in south Louisiana because it is the source from which residents have been able to make a living.

Favorite Foods

Christmas in Louisiana, like any other season of the year, cannot be considered without looking at foods of the region. Holiday favorites here might differ some from other parts of the country, but they are just as much a tradition.

Nicholls State University John Folse Culinary Institute Chief Chef Randy Cheramie said any shopping list for Christmas groceries in south Louisiana would have to begin with oysters. “To me, it wasn’t Christmas without my grandmother’s oyster dressing,” he said.

Cheramie said that while turkey is a standard in most places, Louisiana residents add duck and other wild game to the menu during their Christmas feast. In some families, he added, pork roast along with sweet potatoes are local and traditional.

“Another big thing is turtle soup and you can’t be in Louisiana and not have gumbo,” Cheramie said. “We eat gumbo when we have no other reason to eat gumbo.”

The chef said merliton squash is normally served in a casserole with either ground beef or shrimp.

As far as sweets are concerned, pecans are a favorite in pecan pie and cookies. Then there are tarts that are more cake-like in nature with a custard, pumpkin or sweet potato filling.

Differing Ideals

“We are very family oriented,” Houma Area Convention and Visitors Bureau spokesperson Kelly Gustafson said about how Christmas celebrations in Louisiana differ from other parts of the world. “We still hold true to a lot of the traditions that our ancestors passed down to us over the years from the food we eat to our close knit culture.”

“I don’t know if anybody else in the world eats as much as we do,” Thibodaux Chamber of Commerce President Kathy Benoit said. “That is part of our culture. Communities share meals and they share themselves.”