Catching the Holiday Spirit in New Orleans

With every visit to my beloved New Orleans the meaning of the nickname “The Big Easy” becomes more and more apparent. It’s not at all because life is “easy”there. Like most big cities, NOLA has it’s fair share of troubles. To me, the reason that NOLA is called the Big Easy is because it’s easy to…

1. ..love the charming architecture of NOLA’s historic neighborhoods and buildings.

2. …love the friendliness of the people. It’s great to walk down the streets and get a smile , nod, or an enthusiastic “Hi, how are ya?” from neighbors. In my hometown, it’s about a 75% chance that you will get a hello back when you smile at someone (not bad), 25% chance that you will get a weirded out stare. In NOLA I got about a 98.9% return on a smile and wave. It’s a good way to brighten up your day!

3. …love the many flavors of NOLA’s exotic cuisine. There are so many great places to eat! I’m going to have to do another post on the delicious new places we tried on this last trip, but you can check out some old favorites here.

4.  …to find amazing music. It’s everywhere. The musicians in New Orleans are amongst the greatest in the world, and the sounds emanating from every street corner or club are intoxicating!

And last but not least:

5. It’s easy to catch the spirit of the holidays! Most everything warrants a parade and hearty celebration in NOLA: Births, Weddings, and even funerals. But the holidays are the brightest and most festive time to be in The Big Easy. The celebrations begin in October during Halloween time and just keep growing until the biggest celebration of all: Mardi Gras! This was the first time I had ever visited NOLA in December and it was inspiring to see the heart of the city decked out in holiday cheer!

One of the most essential activities to enjoy in NOLA for the holidays is the Celebration in the Oaks: a dazzling display of lights among the famous oak trees of City Park.

It’s always a good time to visit New Orleans, but if you are looking for a lagniappe of holiday cheer, December is a nice time to visit. A little tip: If you are going to book a hotel for your accommodations, be on the look out for Papa Noel rates!

I wish you all peace and much joy this holiday season! Spend it with people you love and make amazing memories!