St. James Parish-Christmas Bonfires on the levee Bonfires on the Levee – the undisputed king of Louisiana holiday traditions takes place on the Mississippi River levee in St. James Parish. Hundreds of residents there construct towering bonfires to light the way for Papa Noel’s visit on Christmas Eve. Truly one of Louisiana’s most enduring cultural treasures, bonfires have been lit on Christmas Eve in St. James for as many as 200 years.