Bonfires!

Tonight, Billy and are going up the river to catch the annual lighting of the bonfires. We have never done this so we are very excited.


Every Christmas eve night folks from Lutcher to Gramercy light up HUGE wooden structures at 7 p.m. sharp. There were 120 fire permits issued this year and each fire is spaced about a block apart.

There are many theories as to the meaning of this tradition started by the Acadians forever ago.

Practical:
-the fires serve as a guiding light for those who are traveling to Christmas Eve mass along the river, as a good fog usually kicks up off the river at night...

Does anyone else think it is a little strange to light
the way to mass by burning the little baby Jesus up?*

Practical-ish:
- the fires light the way for Papa Noel on Christmas Eve

FYI:

Papa Noel's pirogue is pulled by alligators in bayou country

Spiritual:
-the tradition is a relic left over from the ritual of burning the yule log on the night of the
winter solstice.





*I got that picture from a motorcycle website.
**picture from www.louisianagreetings.com