Season's Greetings Fort Followers,
Hi everyone! It's Chloe again here with another Fort St. Joseph Archaeological Project update on some research that I have been conducting. The upcoming holiday season has made me curious as to what was happening around this time in New France during the 18th century. Specifically, I was interested in some of the traditions that may have taken place at Fort St. Joseph. Here, I have tried to summarize some of the information I found.
After mass, it was time for the Réveillon, the Christmas Eve meal. The French table consisted of turkey, la tourtiere, vegetables, and soup. The dining would be followed by dancing that would last well until dawn. The Réveillon is still observed today among French Canadians, and by many French families in Louisiana.
On Christmas day, at least two more masses would be held for colonists to attend. Though this may have varied at the forts across New France, depending on whether a Catholic priest was present at the time. It was also a relatively quiet day, allowing families to rest and spend time together.
A few days down the line there would be another Réveillon on New Year's Day. This feast would be like the one that took place after the Christmas Eve midnight mass. There would be singing and dancing and a lot of eating. I don't know about you, but that sounds delightful to me. In the Illinois country, a celebration called la Guiannee would occur that night. The tradition dates back to the early 1700s where male singers would go from door to door to entertain and ring in the new year. Hosts were expected to give them food and drink. This celebration may have begun as a way for the poor to be given gratuities by the rich, though it also became a community social event for young men to visit with the families of young women. La Guiannee still occurs in Prairie du Rocher, Illinois and Ste. Genevieve, Missouri today.
To finish off the holiday season, the people of New France would have celebrated Feast of the Kings or La fête des Rois on January 6th. This final holiday meal would have been shared by the family to end the holiday season. A galette des Rois, a puff pastry filled with a type of almond cream called frangipane, would be served for dessert. A small item would normally be hidden inside the galette and whoever found the “treasure” would receive a small gift. After the meal, friends, family and neighbors would gather to sing, dance and play music.
Researching all of the seasonal fun that occurred throughout New France has me in the holiday spirit! This month, our partners, the Nile History Center, are hosting an evening open house! The special event will occur on December 11, 2021, from 4 to 7 pm. Visitors will have the opportunity to see the Fort St. Joseph Museum and Chapin Mansion all dressed up for the holidays decorated by various individuals and community groups in our theme for the year: "Winter Wonderland." You can also find some additional information about Christmas in New France. We hope to see you there!
