Christmas Eve Lunch at Commander's Palace in New Orleans 🍽️🎄

On Christmas Eve afternoon, my partner made a reservation at Commander's Palace to celebrate my birthday. Here, I experienced a kind of American "holiday vibe" for the first time. Everyone was dressed formally — men in full suits and ties, women in beautiful dresses, even children were neatly dressed with styled hair and pretty outfits. Families, young and old, gathered together for lunch. It felt like a cherished annual family tradition for many Americans.❤️ My partner and I felt a bit out of place — we were barely meeting the dress code of "collared shirts," and compared to those around us, we were quite underdressed.❤️ Shortly after we sat down, an elderly gentleman was seated at the table next to us. I nudged my partner and whispered, "He's alone..." thinking he might be waiting for his date. But soon, food started arriving at his table. That's when I noticed — his hat and coat were resting on the chair opposite him. He wasn't waiting for anyone.🍽️ I wondered where the person who used to join him for Christmas Eve lunch each year might be now. My partner and I exchanged a glance and held each other's hand a little tighter at the table.🍽️ #NewOrleans #NewOrleansFood #ChristmasEve 🎂❤️