BIG EASY: Cajun Holiday Tea with Papa Noel

So, there I was at a Laser Tag birthday party in Elmwood, trying to decide if it was worth it to drag my son away from his friends and brave the Krewe of Jingle traffic/parade route to get to the Cajun Holiday Tea with Papa Noel… well, I’m pleased to announce that, YES! We made it, and it was, in fact, totally worth it!

My husband wasn’t really thrilled at the prospect, not being a very tea party kind of guy, but nonetheless, we made a mad dash across town and boarded the Creole Queen. We were handed an agenda for the event, and directed to the next room for Santa pictures. And what to our wondering eyes should appear? But a little person in a Gingerbread Boy suit, a tall dude in a very silly Gaston the Gator costume, and a Cajun-ly dressed Papa Noel in front of a tin-roofed cabin and swampy backdrop. What an eclectic group – I’d expect no less from a Cajun tea party! Such a hoot!

With a buffet-style set up and okay food, it was certainly not the Ritz. But the jovial, attentive staff and very kid-friendly activities more than made up for it. (And, truth be told, the laid-back approach made it much more palatable to many of the macho menfolk and squirmy kids!)

Holding an eighteen-inch live alligator was certainly a highlight, as was the candy buffet. Writing, decorating, and mailing a letter to Santa was a pleasant little activity, as well. But the Magician Elf was, by far, the most entertaining part of the day. Not only did he perform some pretty amazing tricks and handily field some odd questions and requests from the kids, but he stepped up when the Gingerbread Boy was either unwilling or unable to perform his reading of The Cajun Night Before Christmas. Mr. Elf looked a bit surprised by the circumstances, but he took it all in stride, prefacing his reading by saying, “Boys and girls, I’m from a magical land called Pennsylvania, so this should be interesting…”

Hilarious! And the kids were delighted!

It’s hard to tell how these events are going to go (especially if you’re captive on a boat the whole time), but this actually wound up being one of those “good for the whole family” deals, and it really sped by. As we disembarked, each child was handed a huge stuffed alligator. Details like that made the whole experience quite unique. So many element at that party screamed New Orleans. I mean, do you think they’re petting live gators at kiddie Christmas parties in Atlanta? I don’t think so.

I highly recommend you snap up your tickets quickly. Only two more Saturdays for this special holiday party/cruise!

Boarding: 1:30pm - 2pm at RiverWalk Dock (next to N.O. Hilton Riverside Hilton Hotel)
Cruising: 2pm - 3:30pm
Price (taxes are included):
Adult: $49
Child (under 12): $34