cdkitchen > cooking experts > amy powell
The night before Christmas can be filled with sleepless hours for many people, those who look forward to waking up in the morning to filled stockings and present-laden trees. For some, such as a lucky few in my family, Christmas Eve can mean a vigil, literally--waiting for the midnight Christmas mass.
There is something about those wee hours that enhances the magic, the mystique of the holiday, even if you already know the secret about Santa Claus.
Tracing its roots back to Catholics in France, Le Reveillon, literally, “the waking,” is a French and French Canadian ritual that takes place precisely during those late-night Christmas Eve hours. Originally the meal started after midnight, when churchgoers returned home. Today, the ritual is practiced by many a French and French Canadian family as any extremely indulgent meal eaten the night before Christmas. It is a meal typically so extravagant that it deserves its place as a once-a-year affair. And I can’t help but think that the richness of the food is secretly intended to send everyone off into a food coma so deep so as to avoid any possibility of surprising Santa by the chimney.
No need to fly to Paris for your own Reveillon meal, nor necessarily do you need to stay up until midnight. But the idea of having the big meal of the holiday the night before is appealing given the sometimes hectic nature of gift opening and family gathering on Christmas Day.
For beverages, you can never go wrong with bubbles. If you want to be truly French, buy the real stuff. But there are some terrific bargains out there in the form of sparkling wine called Cava in Spain, or Prosecco from Italy. For the kids, a whipped cream topped mug of apple cider is always a winner.
The real French Reveillon spread would likely include oysters, escargot, and foie gras. Unless you are an expert shucker of oysters, have a garden of succulent snails, or are friends with a foie gras producer, you probably won’t be putting out the exact same food on this side of the pond.
A better option, and still decadent, would be to assemble a charcuterie tray. This might include prosciutto, salami, bresaola, or any variety of cured meats. En lieu of foie gras itself, foie gras terrine or a nice pate is fairly widely available in specialty markets. Complete the tray with a variety of olives, some fine mustards, and cornichons (small pickles) and let your guests help themselves. A slice of pate on a thick chunk of crusty country bread with a spread of grainy mustard and some slivered cornichons is worth staying awake for on late Christmas Eve.
The main course is really open to interpretation but can consist of anything from goose and turkey to duck or ham. Sides almost always feature chestnuts but can also include cranberries or really any number variations not unlike our American Thanksgiving spread.
The real treat of the Reveillon meal comes at the end, dessert. In Provence, the Reveillon dessert spread traditionally features 13 different sweet treats. Before you start trying to figure out how to make 13 different cakes and pies for your own Reveillon, stop to consider some non-traditional desserts such as dried fruit. You can have a cake or two for sure, with leftovers to enjoy on Christmas as well. But a selection of dates, candied pecans, a box of chocolates, gingerbread cookies, my sister’s peanut butter muffins (more of a dessert than a breakfast item), gingerbread, store-bought panettone, and (if you are feeling really ambitious) a bouche de noel, will make an elegant and easy to assemble dessert bar.
What other Christmas celebrating cultures spend on presents, the French spend on food. In a year when our country’s consumerist behavior is in question, a return to the important part of the holiday is definitely called for: quality time spent with family and friends. And what better present to all than a wonderfully luxurious meal to share in the waking hours of a late Christmas Eve?
©2026 CDKitchen, Inc. No reproduction or distribution of any portion of this article is allowed without express permission from CDKitchen, Inc.
To share this article with others, you may link to this page:
https://www.cdkitchen.com/cooking-experts/amy-powell/813-reveillon-meal/
Waking Up For Christmas Eve
The night before Christmas can be filled with sleepless hours for many people, those who look forward to waking up in the morning to filled stockings and present-laden trees. For some, such as a lucky few in my family, Christmas Eve can mean a vigil, literally--waiting for the midnight Christmas mass.
There is something about those wee hours that enhances the magic, the mystique of the holiday, even if you already know the secret about Santa Claus.
Tracing its roots back to Catholics in France, Le Reveillon, literally, “the waking,” is a French and French Canadian ritual that takes place precisely during those late-night Christmas Eve hours. Originally the meal started after midnight, when churchgoers returned home. Today, the ritual is practiced by many a French and French Canadian family as any extremely indulgent meal eaten the night before Christmas. It is a meal typically so extravagant that it deserves its place as a once-a-year affair. And I can’t help but think that the richness of the food is secretly intended to send everyone off into a food coma so deep so as to avoid any possibility of surprising Santa by the chimney.
No need to fly to Paris for your own Reveillon meal, nor necessarily do you need to stay up until midnight. But the idea of having the big meal of the holiday the night before is appealing given the sometimes hectic nature of gift opening and family gathering on Christmas Day.
For beverages, you can never go wrong with bubbles. If you want to be truly French, buy the real stuff. But there are some terrific bargains out there in the form of sparkling wine called Cava in Spain, or Prosecco from Italy. For the kids, a whipped cream topped mug of apple cider is always a winner.
The real French Reveillon spread would likely include oysters, escargot, and foie gras. Unless you are an expert shucker of oysters, have a garden of succulent snails, or are friends with a foie gras producer, you probably won’t be putting out the exact same food on this side of the pond.
A better option, and still decadent, would be to assemble a charcuterie tray. This might include prosciutto, salami, bresaola, or any variety of cured meats. En lieu of foie gras itself, foie gras terrine or a nice pate is fairly widely available in specialty markets. Complete the tray with a variety of olives, some fine mustards, and cornichons (small pickles) and let your guests help themselves. A slice of pate on a thick chunk of crusty country bread with a spread of grainy mustard and some slivered cornichons is worth staying awake for on late Christmas Eve.
The main course is really open to interpretation but can consist of anything from goose and turkey to duck or ham. Sides almost always feature chestnuts but can also include cranberries or really any number variations not unlike our American Thanksgiving spread.
The real treat of the Reveillon meal comes at the end, dessert. In Provence, the Reveillon dessert spread traditionally features 13 different sweet treats. Before you start trying to figure out how to make 13 different cakes and pies for your own Reveillon, stop to consider some non-traditional desserts such as dried fruit. You can have a cake or two for sure, with leftovers to enjoy on Christmas as well. But a selection of dates, candied pecans, a box of chocolates, gingerbread cookies, my sister’s peanut butter muffins (more of a dessert than a breakfast item), gingerbread, store-bought panettone, and (if you are feeling really ambitious) a bouche de noel, will make an elegant and easy to assemble dessert bar.
What other Christmas celebrating cultures spend on presents, the French spend on food. In a year when our country’s consumerist behavior is in question, a return to the important part of the holiday is definitely called for: quality time spent with family and friends. And what better present to all than a wonderfully luxurious meal to share in the waking hours of a late Christmas Eve?
Heidi's Peanut Butter Banana Cupcakes
Made with vanilla extract, flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, salt, banana, peanut butter, corn syrup, vegetable oil, brown sugar
Made with vanilla extract, flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, salt, banana, peanut butter, corn syrup, vegetable oil, brown sugar
Serves/Makes: 12
- 1 3/4 cup flour
- 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cup mashed banana
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup corn syrup
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Whisk together flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda and salt. Beat together remaining ingredients. Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just combined.
Spoon into muffin tins with either paper liner or sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
Cool on wire rack.
Serves/Makes: 1
- 1 slice (thick) country bread
- 1 slice (0.5 inch thick) pate
- 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
- 3 cornichons, sliced lenghwise 1/4-inch thick
Toast bread and slice pate.
Spread mustard on the toast and top with sliced cornichons. Top cornichons with pate. Eat immediately.
share this article:
related articles
Write a comment:
©2026 CDKitchen, Inc. No reproduction or distribution of any portion of this article is allowed without express permission from CDKitchen, Inc.
To share this article with others, you may link to this page:
https://www.cdkitchen.com/cooking-experts/amy-powell/813-reveillon-meal/