December 2023

A mid-century gardening club’s seasonal gathering has become one of New Orleans’ favorite holiday traditions, now hosting thousands of carolers each year.

– by Dean M. Shapiro

What began in December 1946 as a small group of neighborhood residents singing Christmas songs in public has since evolved over the past 77 years into one of New Orleans’ most popular holiday events, drawing up to as many as 8,000 people from all over the world.

Caroling in Jackson Square has become a beloved annual celebration held on the last Sunday before Christmas. Produced by the Patio Planters of the Vieux Carré, the hour-long sing-along is free and open to the public. This year’s caroling begins at 7pm on Sunday, December 17. Gates open at 6:30pm.

The caroling event has gone on without interruption for three-quarters of a century – even months after major hurricanes like Ida and Katrina hit New Orleans. Three years ago, when the COVID-19 pandemic was running rampant, the caroling was still held - although with fewer people and under tightly controlled distancing conditions on the grounds of the New Orleans Jazz Museum on Esplanade Avenue.

Although most celebrants assume the event is put on by the city, it’s a major annual undertaking of the Patio Planters organization. The non-profit was established in 1946 as a French Quarter garden club that centered on courtyard gardening tips and pass-along-plants. Over the years, the organization’s mission grew to focus on preservation and beautification of the Quarter. Today the group has nearly 400 members.

Patio Planters foots the entire bill for Caroling in the Square – with little public funding assistance (the Louisiana Department of Tourism provides marketing help). The small volunteer organization manages this feat by rallying dozens of volunteers and hosting fundraising events throughout the year. One of those annual fundraisers is the Holiday Home Tour, which always takes place the same day as the caroling, from noon - 4pm.

This year, seven historic French Quarter houses are featured on this self-guided holiday tour, coordinated by past Patio Planters president, Steven Swain. Tickets are $35 and all funds are used to help cover caroling costs. After the tour concludes, guests will have roughly two and a half hours to shop, dine, or continue sightseeing before the gates to Jackson Square are opened at 6:30pm for the 7pm caroling.

Commenting on the popularity of the event, Patio Planters caroling coordinator Sandra Dartus said, “When people come in it’s like ants at a picnic. They’re waiting outside for the gates to open to rush into the square and get set up for their places to stand. Some people come dressed in reindeer ears or a Rudolph nose or they dress in vintage outfits like carolers from the past.”

Dartus – who was the founding executive director of French Quarter Festivals, Inc. and served in that capacity for 20 years – is a board member of Patio Planters. She has been assisting with the group’s caroling events since the 1980s.

“With all that we have in this messed-up world these days,” Dartus said, “it’s such a joy to see people of all ages, ethnicities, religions, tourists and visitors alike, all standing there singing. They really get into the spirit of the season and they put all negativity behind them.”

Dartus lavished praise on the volunteers “who help make this event the success it has become” and she expressed her gratitude on behalf of the organization for “the random donations from people who attended and said it was a beautiful thing they wanted to contribute to. So many people are extremely appreciative.”

Lea Siegel, who formerly chaired the caroling for nearly 25 years, also had a glowing assessment from her own experiences with the event, dating back to the 1970s.

“It’s all about the Christmas spirit,” Siegel said. “The Patio Planters, who are all French Quarter residents, wanted to do something special for the city and this was their contribution.”

Siegel, who just turned 93, recalled her earliest experiences coordinating the caroling. “When I was told I was going to be in charge of it, they gave me a piece of paper with names of who to contact and that was it. The rest was up to me,” she said, laughing.

“Back then we didn’t have any sponsors or anything like that. So we had to raise the money through our white elephant sale to pay for the event. It [the caroling] wasn’t as extravagant as it is today but it has grown since then and it’s really beautiful. We try to keep it holy and solemn and fun.”

Patio Planters host two tours a year – a patio tour every Memorial Day weekend and the Holiday Home Tour. Proceeds of both go to funding the annual caroling celebration. This December, houses on the tour include the historic Spring Fiesta House on St. Ann Street, which will offer refreshments. By tradition, the other homes aren’t revealed until the day of the tour.

Patio Planters has been hosting the home tours since the 1950s, so they’ve become a community fixture. Current president Joey DiFatta invites participation from the local community, as well as from the region, the rest of the nation and abroad.

“We hope families will plan to spend the day in the historic neighborhood on December 17,” DiFatta said, “visiting private homes decked out for the holidays. All of the participating homeowners on the tour are looking forward to hosting them and showing them around their historic residences.”

One of the homeowners (who requested anonymity) said, “This is something I really enjoy doing… opening up my 200-year-old home to people who’ve never seen the inside of an authentic French Quarter residence.”

The homeowner explained that the house, originally built in 1829 and renovated over the years, still retains some of the original construction features. The floors and the molding are the original hardwood and the medallions in the ceiling are also original, composed of horsehair in plaster. Some of the old gas lines from the pre-electricity days are still visible, though no longer in use.

The homeowner pointed out that most of the other homes on the tour have many of the same features, plus other unique characteristics. He also noted that on past tours he has hosted visitors from all the U.S. and from as far away as Australia, much of Europe and South America.

The house tours are conducted by volunteers and often the host homeowners. They guide the visitors through parts of the houses that are of special interest and they answer questions their guests might have.

Holiday Home Tour Details

Advance home tour tickets are $35 if tickets or $40 if paid on the day of the tour. Children under12 are admitted free. Advance orders can be placed online.

Those who have ordered their tickets in advance can pick up a map at the Cabildo in Jackson Square showing the location of the houses that are included on the tour. The maps serve as proof of purchase of the tickets. From there participants can proceed to the houses shown on the map.

A limited number of tickets will be available for purchase on the day of the event at the Cabildo from noon – 3pm. Pre-ordering is strongly advised, however, because this popular annual event often sells out in advance.

Most houses are largely accessible to those with mobility issues, there being only a few steps on some of them and for which navigational assistance can be rendered. Large wheelchairs, however, could be an issue in narrow hallways.

Caroling on Jackson Square Details

Gates to the square open at 6:30pm with caroling beginning at 7pm. As they enter, participants are given a candle and a songbook containing the lyrics to more than 20 Christmas standards that many of them will know by heart.

At 7pm, the event officially opens with a clergy and dignitary procession from St. Louis Cathedral to the stage in Jackson Square adjacent to the Andrew Jackson statue. The singing will open with “O Come All Ye Faithful.” Other familiar seasonal classics will include “White Christmas,” “Jingle Bells,” “The First Noel,” “We Wish you a Merry Christmas” and many others, ending with “Silent Night.”

Guest dignitaries leading the crowd in selected songs are expected to include Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser, Archbishop Gregory Aymond, former Archbishop Alfred Hughes and St. Louis Cathedral Rector Father Pat Williams.

ADVISORIES: Participants are asked to not bring chairs unless it’s absolutely necessary for the person being seated. Early arrival is strongly recommended. The event is one hour long. Comfortable shoes are also recommended and festive Christmas attire is encouraged.

Finding parking nearby, especially on the street, is expected to be challenging. The nearest paid parking lots with high capacity are the French Market last by the river, those adjacent to the Jax Brewery on North Peters Street and in the enclosed Canal Place garage at Canal and Decatur streets. Hotel lots are also an option. One option to check availability and pricing is the Best Parking app. Public transit is an advised option for those who live in or are lodged in a home or facility near a streetcar or bus line.

Weather is also a factor to consider, as New Orleans temperatures can vary greatly at this time of year and rain is always a possibility. Those planning to attend are advised to check the forecasts for the evening and dress accordingly. In the event of rain the singing will be moved inside the St. Louis Cathedral.

Caroling in Jackson Square will be live streamed on www.nola.com and www.patioplanters.net where songbooks may be downloaded. The event will also be available for viewing after December 19 on WLAE channel 32.