I had the privilege of following the Bourgeois family as they built their Christmas Eve levee bonfire. This tradition is by far, the neatest thing I've ever seen.
Dozens of fires are lit along the levee on Christmas Eve and people in the area open up their homes to visitors. Basically, all the jambalaya, pastalaya, and gumbo you can eat.
The Bourgeois' have one of the most impressive bonfires, in my opinion. It's 20 feet high and covered in cane reed and firecrackers. The kids light it with roman candles and it is a sight that any description I try to give you, won't do it justice.
Building this bonfires isn't an easy task, especially this year. Thanks to the rain, family members had to trudge through waist deep water to cut down the trees. Rain also kept everyone from building the entire structure in one day. It really is an undertaking. They were out there three separate times.
If you ever have the chance to head down there on Christmas Eve. I would. I followed Bo Billy Bourgeois through the entire process. Towards the end of the night he told me once people see it, they come back. I'd have to agree.
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