How the 5th Circuit Celebrates the Holidays

By Brett Snider, Esq. on December 24, 2013 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

It's holiday time in the Gulf, and Fifth Circuit is closed for Christmas Eve, Christmas, and New Year's Day.

So while the judges and clerks are spending time with friends and family, let's celebrate with them, the Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi way!

Texas: Tamales and Black Eyed Peas

For yours truly, Christmas in Texas always meant food. And not just the clove-studded ham and puddings of a Dickens Christmas. Christmas in the Lone Star State means red and green tortilla chips, lots of liquor, and definitely tamales.

To the uninitiated, tamales on Christmas are a Mexican tradition, which have come to be an Christmas staple throughout Texas. Check out this recipe for pork tamales from the Houston Chronicle to spice up your Feliz Navidad.

And nothing says New Year's in Texas like black eyed peas. Not only will this hearty stew leave your house smelling like bacon during the holidays, but each pea you eat means a more prosperous new year.

Louisiana: Christmas Eve Bonfire and Yule Log Cakes

Just east of Texas, Louisiana folk are prepping to celebrate the holidays by setting things on fire. Christmas Eve bonfires started as a New Year's Eve tradition, but now huge infernos are carefully constructed by the levees, lighting the way for Papa Noel, reports The Associated Press.

And instead of the stuffy tradition of the Yule Log, French-inspired bakers in the Bayou state will be dishing out Yule Log cakes ("Buche de Noel") for Christmas.

Mississippi: Tree Lighting at Ole Miss

The University of Mississippi ("Ole Miss") has seen the lighting of a Christmas tree on its campus for more than a century. From 2000 to 2007, the tree contained as many lights as enrolled students, until the tree caught fire in 2007 from an overload of lights, reports the Ole Miss News.

This year, the tree was lit on December 4, in conjunction with free crafts, amusements, and even ice skating open to the public.

No matter how you celebrate the season, we at FindLaw wish our Gulf-area readers Happy Holidays!

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