
Eating tamales with family is a holiday tradition in the Southwest, across the country, and in Latin America, where there are a variety of tamales available with different recipes depending on the culture preparing them.Â
Mexican Americans in this region make corn-husk-wrapped tamales, while those with Central American roots typically wrap theirs in banana leaves. Puerto Rican versions of tamales don't use corn-based masa.
This article from The Atlantic details the differences in tamale recipes by region and how, for many, the holiday season is synonymous with tamales.
Ancient civilizations in Mexico made tamales dating back to as early as 8000 BC.
Learn about the history of tamales in this article from Cocina.
How to make them
Here is a Mexican Christmas tamale recipe from food.com
Do you make tamales at home during the holiday season or buy them locally? If you buy them, where do you get them?