COMING THIS DECEMBER!!!
By Karen Brem, Marketing Director, Historic Mardi Gras Inn
If you think Christmas in New Orleans is all twinkling lights, choir bells, and hot cocoa… oh honey, that’s just the warm-up. 🌶️✨
Once the sun sets and the city switches from peppermint to pure temptation, New Orleans becomes one of the best adult playgrounds for the holiday season. It’s festive, it’s flirty, it’s spirited (in every sense), and it’s guaranteed to unwrap the grown-up fun you didn’t know you needed this December. 🎁🍸
So slip into something seasonal — velvet, sequins, or whatever makes Santa blush — and let’s explore a very New Orleans Christmas after dark, where the music is louder, the cocktails are stronger, and the holiday cheer lasts long past midnight. 🎄🌙
🍸✨ The Cocktail Glow-Up: Holiday Drinks Worth Staying Out For
New Orleans practically invented the “holiday cocktail crawl,” and December brings out our finest creations. This year’s top contenders?
🎅 Kris Kringle Punch
A French Quarter favorite — tart, sweet, and just dangerous enough to make you text someone you shouldn’t.
🎄 Brandy Milk Punch
The holiday classic that tastes like Christmas without the calories of regret.
Served cold. Hits warm.
🍫 Hot Buttered Rum
A winter cuddle in a cup. Perfect for balcony strolls and late-night mischief.
🍬 Peppermint French 75
Sparkly, minty, and ideal for anyone who believes champagne is a personality.
From Bourbon Street bars to chic lounges on Decatur, every bartender in the city seems to be competing for “Best Cocktail Santa Would Approve Of.”
Spoiler: they all win. 🍸😉
🎭🌈 After-Dark Entertainment: The Fun Begins When the Lights Go Up
New Orleans at night is always a vibe — but in December, it gets downright jolly with a twist. 🎄🔥
Here’s what grown-ups come for:
💋 Holiday Drag Cabarets
Expect glitter. Expect sass. Expect holiday classics rewritten with a wink.
It’s festive, it’s fabulous, and it’s one of the most joyful experiences you can have on a December night.
🎶 Burlesque Bells & Stockings Shows
Sultry, sophisticated, and oh-so-seasonal. Downtown hosts limited-run holiday burlesque nights that mix jazz, costumes, and Christmas glamour.
Tasteful? Yes.
Teasing? Always. 😉
🎅 “Bad Santa” Bar Nights on Frenchmen Street
Naughty costumes. Live bands. Elf ears everywhere.
Let’s just say this Santa isn’t checking lists — he’s checking vibes.
Frenchmen Street is electric this time of year, and the holiday twist turns it into full-blown magic.
🔥 Holiday DJ Nights & Themed Parties
Deck the halls? How about deck the dance floor?
From Marigny clubs to hidden speakeasies, December gets packed with holiday-themed DJ nights, neon-lit dance floors, and grown-up versions of “Jingle Bells” that would shock your grandmother.
🌈💫 A Christmas Crawl for the Bold & Beautiful
Inspired by your love for #6 — here’s where the season shines brightest:
The LGBTQ+ nightlife scene lights up December with:
- Glow parties with holiday neon
- Elf & Reindeer-themed dance nights
- Jolly holiday drag brunches
- Queer caroling with cocktails
It’s inclusive, joyful, welcoming, and full of energy that New Orleans uniquely delivers. 🏳️🌈🎄✨
🎷🕯️ The Late-Night Stroll: Balcony Lights, Live Music, and Night Air Magic
Once you’ve had your cocktails and your cabaret fix, take a slow evening walk.
The Quarter’s balconies glitter with every color of Christmas; musicians drift from block to block; and the entire neighborhood glows like a holiday movie set with a New Orleans soul. 🎇🎶
It’s romantic, exciting, and just the right amount of unpredictable — the perfect adult holiday escape.
🏨✨ Your Home Base for Holiday Shenanigans
At the Historic Mardi Gras Inn, we love watching our guests step out into the holiday nightlife and return with stories, sparkle, and the kind of happy exhaustion New Orleans does best. We offer clean, affordable rooms, a warm staff, and a welcoming atmosphere — all just one block from the French Quarter.
Because when you’re celebrating an adult Christmas in New Orleans, you want the fun close by… and the walk home short. 😉
📞🎄 Ready for a Grown-Up Christmas Getaway?
Skip the booking engines and call us directly for the best service and real-time availability:
📱 504.949.5815
📱 1.800.209.9408
Or visit us at:
👉 www.HistoricMardiGrasInn.com
Let New Orleans give you a holiday season that’s merry, bright, and just a little bit wild. 🎄🔥🍸