How I spent the two Réveillons of 2014

Every year since we got married, my husband and I have a family friend over on the 24th December night (Réveillon de Noël) or 31st December night (Réveillon de la Saint-Sylvestre). The family we have over for Christmas Eve, invites us for the New Year's Eve or the family who invites us for Christmas Eve becomes our invites for New Year's Eve.

We get to decide each year who's invitation we would accept, who we prefer to spend this special dinners with.

This year, my husband invited a childhood friend of his. He came with his Lebanese wife and 5 year old daughter. My husband dressed up as santa for the little girl.

My table decoration

We ordered Capon from a traiteur and I made jollof rice. I didn't take a picture of the jollof rice. I made normal nigerian jollof rice but added fresh shrimps, diced carrots, maize and green peas.

For desserts, we had bûché de Noël, strawberry pies, and chocolate cake

They had us over for Réveillon du premier de l'an and we were treated to a leabanese dinner, there sure was hummus on the table, the food dip leaves one's mouth oozing with garlic.

My look to the Réveillon de Saint-Sylvestre we were invited to

Dinner was goose with roasted potatoes. Sorry, I don't have pictures. I found the fève hidden in the Kings Cake "galette des Rois" and was crowned Queen of the day.

The dinner turned into a party while we were waiting to cross-over into the New Year. 

On the 25th and on the 1st, we don't go to church except these days fall on a Sunday. In the afternoons, we have my husband's family over or go over to his mother's for déjeuner and at night we eat at home without any invite.

Quiet dinner for two on Christmas day

It often worries me starting my 31st night poping champagne. I grew up spending the crossing-over in the church, praying for all the things I wanted for the New Year which I list out on a piece of papaer in my bible. The French way leaves me thinking "It's a bad way to start out a new year Ayo".