It's an unusual holiday season, and you might
be having a hard time getting into the holiday spirit this year. With another
spike in COVID-19 cases in New Orleans, families must turn to safe ways to
spend time with loved ones this Christmas. But there is still fun and holiday
cheer to be had. Below is a list of safe and COVID-friendly activities you can
do to celebrate what still can be the most wonderful time of the year.
Royal
Sonesta Pajama Party
Restaurant R'evolution and the Children's
Hospital are hosting a Royal Snownesta Pajama Party at Restaurant
R'evolution, where children under 12 can wear their pajamas, deliver their wish
lists to Santa, and eat and decorate Chef John Folse's famous cookies, for only
$45. Adults are also able to partake in the Pajama Party with access to
bottomless mimosas or non-alcoholic mocktails for $65. Make it a Merry
Christmas and reserve tickets for December 19 or the 20, at 9:30-11:00 a.m. or
12:30-2:00 pm.
The Mortuary
For Christmas, The Mortuary is presenting a special
holiday-themed twist on their usual, called Psycho Asylum Home for the
Holidays, which offers a video game-come-to-life experience, where asylum
inmates have taken over. In this holiday special, The Mortuary gives you a
military-style infrared laser tag rifle to assist you in exterminating the
alleged asylum inmates running amuck. The Mortuary is offering this thrilling
game of laser tag every Saturday in December, so reserve your tickets and give
yourself a scare for the holidays.
NOLA
ChristmasFest
NOLA ChristmasFest and the New Orleans Convention Center have collaborated to create a
digital option for this year's celebration, and, thanks to donors and community
partners, they are able to send craft and activity packages for free. These
packages include entertaining activities for the entire week, such as holiday
baking, dance classes, nightly book reading, and crafts. ChristmasFest is also
hosting Zoom sessions during which the elves will lead the activity and notable
Christmas characters, such as Mrs. Clause, will read for story time. Click here to learn more about this
digital Christmas celebration.
Dixie
Brewing Co. Outdoor Movie Series
In an effort to make New Orleans excited about
socially distanced holidays, Dixie Brewing Co. will be utilizing
their vast and beautiful outdoor space to host a Christmas movie night every
Thursday until the week of Christmas. In their initiative, which is entitled
"Movies Under the Stars," Dixie Brewing Co. will be showing classic and beloved
Christmas movies, such as National
Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, Elf, It's a Wonderful Life, and more. Reserve
a picnic table that seats six people, for $15, or a chair for one person, for
$5, to help get into the Christmas spirit.
Seven
Three Distilling Co.
Seven
Three Distilling Co. is hosting a raffle from
the first of December through Christmas Eve, in which each bottle purchased is
a raffle ticket entry. There are 12 prizes waiting to be awarded to the
winners, which will be revealed at the end of the month. To take part in the
raffle, go to seventhreedistilling.passionspirits.com
and purchase a $5 ticket. The proceeds will be going directly to a
three-generation New Orleans family who suffered the loss of their home in a
house fire. Click here to purchase a bottle and enter
yourself in the raffle.
NOCCA
The New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA) will be hosting "Home For the Holidays 2020," a concert and auction
that will stream online starting December 22, with performances from Jon
Batiste, Irma Thomas, and Kermit Ruffins & the BBQ Swingers, along with
other jazz musicians. This event directly benefits the Daniel Price Memorial
Fund for Aspiring Artists at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, so you
will be helping young and local artists. NOCCA's silent auction started December
2 and will end December 24 and features art by the highly esteemed Daniel Price
and by NOCCA students who were recipients of the Daniel Price Awards.
