My family has quite a long list of Christmas traditions, from my mom crying every time the choir sings “O Holy Night” at the Christmas Eve service, to my brother being the first one up on Christmas morning, to my dad passing out the presents. But there’s one tradition in particular that I started thinking more about recently. And that’s tamales on Christmas Eve.
Quick background on tamales. If you haven’t had a tamale, well, you are missing out, my friend. Styles vary, but the kind that is popular in my hometown are meat and cheese mixed with a corn dough and wrapped and steamed in a corn husk. Simple and completely delicious. In some places they’re wrapped in banana leaves, but I’m partial to the more savory style. They originated in Latin America way way way back when.
Now, it must be said that my family is not Latino and does not have any Latino roots that would result in a tradition like tamales on Christmas Eve. The ancestry we have been able to trace goes back to early America and then back to England.
But what makes these tamales interesting to me isn’t just that we American/English types eat them on Christmas Eve. I mean, they’re delicious, so why not. But after asking around, I started realizing that we’re not the only white family with this exact same tradition.
Colusa
In order to explain why I would find tamales on Christmas Eve significant, I probably should tell you a bit about my hometown. Colusa was founded in the 1850s, and for a long time was a significant port as it was the farthest place north that riverboats could navigate the Sacramento River, meaning all of the produce and grain grown in the region flowed through Colusa to the barges on to destinations elsewhere. From the 1850s onward the population has roughly hovered around 4,000-5,000 people. It remains a major rice growing region, as the hard clay soil common in the area lends itself perfectly to rice.
Local lore has it that the town was founded by Southerners, and that the town voted to secede from the Union during the Civil War. Whether or not that is true or apocryphal, it has always been a place where race and labor relations have experienced flashpoints.
There were major labor battles in the area, including the Wheatland Hop Riot, which resulted in four deaths, and happened just thirty miles away in 1913. And during the 20th Century, Colusa gradually saw a broad demographic shift take place, as the makeup of the migrant farmworker population gradually morphed from refugees from the Midwest Dust Bowl to immigrants from Latin America, and especially Mexico. Over the course of the 20th Century, the town went from a mostly white place with some Chinese-American families to now roughly 55%/45% white/Latino.
Growing up
I should say that I had the incredible fortune of coming from a very open-minded and decidedly non-racist household. My parents both grew up in Colusa, but did not share what are, unfortunately, relatively common negative attitudes toward immigrants.
As I spent time with friends and other families growing up, epithets, stereotypes, and hostility toward Mexican-Americans were commonplace. These stereotypes were exacerbated by economic differences. It’s a town where the farmers were almost uniformly white, and the farmworkers almost uniformly from Mexico.
Those attitudes really permeated the atmosphere at school and in the town. When I was in 3rd Grade, at recess one day we kids divided ourselves into a Mexicans vs. Americans soccer match–it wasn’t necessarily a hostile division, and at that age I think probably more of a quick way at arriving at roughly even sides rather than something we took overly seriously, but still a sign that even at that age we recognized the divisions. (Fortunately the principal quickly put an end to it and explained that wasn’t a divide we should fixate on.)
And during my freshman year of high school, the town was roiled by Prop 187, a controversial voter initiative that would have denied all public services to illegal immigrants, including school and health care. The atmosphere was really charged in my hometown, and the Latino students in my high school staged a walkout in conjunction with a broader town protest. I didn’t support the proposition by any means, but race relations being as they were, it honestly didn’t really occur to me at the time that I could have attended the protest.
The initiative ended up passing in my county with 77% of the vote, compared to 59% in the state as a whole, though it was eventually ruled unconstitutional.
Tamales
So believe me when I say, this isn’t necessarily a town where you’d expect to find a white family eating tamales on Christmas Eve.
And yet my family is not alone in this tradition. The more I’ve asked around, the more I’ve heard of families sharing the same tradition, not just in Colusa but in other towns in border states. I don’t know that anyone can necessarily put a date to when they started it, but it’s an amazing sign of how the people around you can affect your lives and traditions in ways you may not initially expect.
There’s something really American to me about all of this. As rough and as haphazard as the melting pot sometimes seems with the hostilities that creep up between cultures and races, we simultaneously grow together in imperceptible and meaningful ways just by living in the same space. We share our best traditions, and one day we wake up and find ourselves closer than we were before. And in my hometown, eating tamales is a way of giving back as well, as the ones we eat are made as part of a Christmas fundraiser to support community projects.
Sure, eating tamales on Christmas Eve doesn’t solve the lasting issues in my hometown and doesn’t mean everything is perfect. But for one night, people let a new culture into their cherished traditions on one of our most important holidays. Christmas is a time of tradition and family and continuity between generations and years, but also about letting new people into your heart.
Do you have any unique and cherished traditions, and have you thought about what they mean?
This post had me completely fascinated. What a great read, with a fascinating history.
If by tradition you mean racing around the house, sweating and muttering as I try to finish wrapping presents, then yes! We have deeply rooted traditions around here. 🙂
#itsuckstobetheparent
Cool post Nathan. If you haven't seen it… you should pick up a little gem by Steinbeck entitled "Their Blood is Strong". I found a 1936 printing at our university's library this weekend and was mesmerized.
Tamales are also very much a part of Christmas traditions in Texas. My wife went to a tamale making party last week that lasted most of the day–they made dozens. It was her first time to make them; usually we buy them from friends whose families have a tradition of making them for Christmas.
I first had a tamale about 13 or so years ago when I moved to Austin from the midwest after college. The coffeeshop where I had lunch offered vegetarian tamales as their veg selection for the day. I had no idea what they were, but figured I'd give them a try. Of course when they arrived–corn husk and all–I had no idea what to do with them and tried, unsuccessfully of course, to actually eat the corn husk. I eventually figured it out.
Lots of folks in Texas do this tradition. Our only Christmas Eve tradition involves ordering pizza delivery. Now I feel lame.
Great post!
I have eight brothers and sisters (with nieces, nephews and in-laws, well I lost count at 45). Christmas Eve is at Mom's and Dad's. Since I was kid we go to 5:00 Mass, simple dinner then Dad passes out the 100's of presents then the kids go to bed and wait for Claus.
nice post….I too love tamales, especially the ones made with peppers and cheese….thanks for sharing your story….
I love tamales! We've not done them on Christmas Eve, but we are talking about a traditional Noche Buena pig roast this year.
Feliz Navidad!
Being thankful every day. It's definitely not easy.
interesting story–thanks for sharing it.
We eat Japanese food every Christmas Eve…it started 11 years ago when we went to a Japanese shopping center nearby to get Pokemon toys for my son BEFORE they had arrived in the US en masse (that's how obsessed he was). The food there was so delicious and somehow going back there and eating Japanese food turned into our Christmas tradition!
A soloist in my church sings O Holy Night every Christmas Eve–another treasured tradition…
Tamales! When I was a little girl in San Jose, CA, my mother spent a December day with our neighbor, Maria, learning to make tamales. An entire day. It's a long, long, process. That's why, I firmly believe, that they're a Christmas Eve tradition. It's the only time of the year we're willing to spend the time.
Now I'm in NY state, and no good tamales to be found. I have to make them. But only at Christmastime.
Wait, you get HOMEMADE tamales for Christmas Eve? Now I'm really jealous.
I grew up in So. Cal., but we didn't develop that tradition. Although I'd kind of like to, because tamales are just yummy.
Also: melting pot=awesome
Christmas tradition? Over the years different ones have come and gone, but one never changes. We get up in the morning and open presents!
Another tradition borrowed from a different culture: we hide a PICKLE ORNAMENT in our tree on Christmas Eve. The next morning the children rush in an hunt for it and whoever finds it gets an extra little gift. It's a German tradition. My mother-in-law gave us the pickle ornament (with instructions about the tradition) many years ago. Now our GROWN KIDS still love to hunt for the pickle on Christmas morning, when they're home. I've given them each their own pickle ornaments to continue the tradition in their own homes.
I love tamales. I haven't tried to make them (yet) but may give it a go in the near future.
We always stay at home on Christmas Day, drinking mamosas (champagne and OJ) and watching the kids play with their toys. We have a big feast on Christmas Eve, like it's a second Thanksgiving, and we chow down on leftovers on Christmas Day so we don't have to do any extra work.
What a wonderful story, and an excellent example of how much family and regional culture and history can be drawn out of a single, seemingly simple tradition. Thanks for sharing it.
And I wish I knew how to prepare tamales, because I'd love to try this. Any chance you'd like to share a recipe, too? 🙂
Come to Texas. You're likely to find the steamer of tamales next to the turkey and ham.
We just made our first ten dozen tamales last night (yes, I said "first" ten dozen). I am of mixed heritage–Mexican, Italian, and mostly white. We did not make tamales growing up as my mother is white and my dad's mother is also white. However, I have married into a Mexican family and it's a joy (albeit a lot of work) to gather around the table with three generations and laugh and talk and work through our assembly line making the Christmas tamales, not only for our family, but to share with friends and coworkers as well.
I'm a legal US citizen from Alaska. We all gather together, shoot a caribou, and roast it over an open fire while we sing Christmas carols.
I heart tamales!
I also think my family has a unique Christmas Eve tradition. Every year, since the first year my parents got married, until now, on Christmas Eve our whole family sits in front of the tree and my dad makes a quick movie "This is Christmas eve 2010…" and so on.
Everyone speaks for about 30 seconds, and it is usually a bit on the awkward side, but it is so fun to look back on. We have one long DVD that has the 2 minute clips of all the Christmas Eve's and it dates back to the early seventies, which is pretty cool to watch and some times embarrassing to look back on!
We have pierogies for Christmas Eve dinner. When I was little we used to go over to my Grandma's house, where she and my Great Grandma would spend all day making them from scratch. Now my mom and I make them while my dad claims he doesn't know how, despite having grown up with them, and then tells us we're doing it wrong. Then on Christmas we open presents, go see a movie, and then get Chinese food for dinner.
We ate tamales every year around Christmas when I was growing up. There were always a number of local women making them from scratch. My mom would go with her friends to the house of whoever’s tamales were hot that year and pick up a couple dozen. We aren’t Latino and I know of a number of Caucasian families who eat Christmas tamales also. I think this is one of those traditions that will creep into all of American society. Tamales are just so scrumptious.
I have to disagree with one thing you said. They may seem simple, but like a lot of Mexican food, making them from scratch is not. My husband made them a few years ago. He went all out-stripped his own pork, made the masa from scratch. It took him three days.
It just isn't Christmas without tamales made by sweet little abuelas of your co-workers. I'm a currently displaced Texan and I can't wait to get home and enjoy mountains of the things, the more lard, the better. Feliz Navidad, amigos!
Yea, history! Boo, xenophobia!
Tamales are my favorite (chicken without cheese) especially homemade. I helped make some one New Years, and let me tell you, spending all friggin' day in an assembly line putting them together really makes you appreciate every single tamale you consume from that point on.
Anyway, my families tradition when I was a kid was that me and my sisters could only open one present an hour because my mom wanted us to appreciate every single present. Which was cool when the present was a toy, less cool when it was socks. I have to say though, the one-an-hour tradition did literally make Christmas last aaaall day. And that was a good thing.
Traditions were abundant when my sister and I were younger. My dad would take us to the movies while my mom "made Christmas cookies". Then, when we returned, we were allowed to open one present before trying to fall asleep. Of course, she and I planned our midnight gift/Santa-stake outs and took many trips up and down the stairs until they finally appeared like magic. Canvassing the tree, inspecting the presents and making guesses as to what was hiding under the beautiful wrapping paper would continue through the night. I only just recently found out my parents knew the entire time. Apparently, our planning sessions were not so secret. This year (many years later) we will be spending Christmas in Pittsburgh at my sisters, and my boyfriend will be joining us. A great time to create a few new traditions.
Your mom and I have something in common regarding "Oh Holy Night".
Our tradition is getting together at my parent's house Christmas Eve with all our family members, who's numbers have have grown exponentially over the years.
Great post!
In my tradition, Christmas Eve dinners are take out Chinese Food. But something we started last year, and will continue, takes place on Martin Luther King Day. I made fondue for dinner (cheese, followed by chocolate for dessert), and then we gathered round the TV to watch a musical. It seemed an appropriate way to honor a man who made life sweeter for us all.
we had a cat named Tamale once.
we didn't eat it.
My family's tradition is enchiladas. We are also a white family, so I don't know where the Mexican food/Christmas Eve tradition came from. I think my mom just found a great enchilada recipe, made it one year, and it just stuck. Either way, I'm looking forward to traveling back to Sac-town for them soon.
When I lived in Southern California, my neighbors always made tamales for Christmas Eve. I looked forward to their gift. It's been over thirty years since I lived in Southern California and I still make home-made tamales for Christmas Eve. Yummy.
Our tradition is a Kringle for Christmas breakfast, along with sausages and a large platter of tropical fruit. The fruit tradition dates from my uncle's previous marriage to an airline hostess in the 1960s and 70s. She always sent a box of fruit from Hawaii.
The Danish is a big commitment. My mother used to buy it in MN from a place that sold good Danish, not sticky or overfilled, more bread than sweet. No such thing to be had Out East, so I started making it. It's a two-day procedure, but like tamales, worth the effort once a year; warm light melting pastry like the angel of fresh bread, scented with cardamom and a little crunchy with toasted almonds and sugar. Even the kids drop everything for breakfast on Christmas Day.
Which reminds me of the Grace Paley poem, about how she made a pie today, because everyone always loves them and says "you should have made two!" and nobody ever says that about a poem.
Wow, this is really neat, Nathan! Thanks for sharing. 🙂 It was awesome getting to know a little more about you and a little bit of background/history. I love tamales. 😀
~TRA
https://xtheredangelx.blogspot.com
My family has inside-outs every Christmas Eve. We eat them in the car in the church parking lot before Christmas Eve service. Then we spill hot cheese on our nice Christmas clothes,
Thanks for sharing some of your background. I've had tamales (in the corn husks)made by a Mexican mother of a friend of mine. That was many years ago and I still remember the taste.
In western Canada, where I live, I've experienced more of a blending of cultures. As a result of that and the fact that I came from a different region, our Christmas traditions encompass native Indian, southern, and Canadian traditions. My family insists on certain dishes every year – some from my heritage, and some from my husband's. That goes for New Year's too.
It all seems to indicate that traditions are something which we can follow or change. They are an island of certainty in the midst of uncertainty. Traditions can evoke memories and comfort, when we like them or groans if we don't.
It's nice to know you're a deep thinker, Nathan. Acceptance via tamales/traditions is a good example of blending cultures.
Nathan, I had a Mexican-American girlfriend in high school, and the Christmas Eve tamales were fabulous! (Can't say I ever acquired a taste for menudo, though.) I live in a town (Watsonville) that's 70% Hispanic, and some of the best food is from hole-in-the-wall taquerias and the like.
By the way, I drive through Colusa every now and then, and always think it looks like a nice place to live…
Our big traditional meal is always pork, sauerkraut, and dumplings on New Years. Most of the people from my hometown share in that tradition, likely from the heavy Germanic/PA Dutch roots of our region. I moved up north to Buffalo (with it's heavy Irish/Polish roots) and it's all corned beef and cabbage up here, which I tend to do as well if we're having a big New Year's gathering.
For Christmas we always make spritz cookies in different colors – pink poinsettias, green trees, etc.
One of my favorite recently new to me traditions is staying up all night for Yule with friends, family, and good food.
Now that I've learned how to make truffles, I have a feeling that's going to become a holiday tradition as well.
Nathan, I was born in Bulgaria – a country where 20 years ago it was banned by the government to celebrate Christmas. Can you imagine? In 45 years (1944-1989), people have been taught to celebrate the New Years Eve and not to believe in God. Then came democracy (as we often say) and we had several years of great crisis. People had no money to celebrate anything. But for senturies (Bulgaria has been found in year 681) the day before Christmas was always the most important family holiday. On this day, we put an odd number of vegetarian dishes on the table (no meat, eggs, cheese, butter and fish). We make a special bread and put in it small things that bring good luck. The oldest in the family distribute to all of the bread guided by age – the youngest gets the bread last. What you find in your bread shows what will be the new year for you – cornel twig – means health, knob – means craft, straw – farm work, coin – wealth. The coin should be silver. We place it in a glass of red wine and then all drink a sip of the wine. We leave the food on the table until the morning to allow God to come and have a dinner. Please excuse me for my bad English.
In the northern states we don't rely on farming so illegal immigrants squeeze the honest tradesmen out of business. An immigrant who doesn't pay taxes, health, & unemployment-insurance etc can work for twelve dollars an hour and the citizen must get twenty-five dollars an hour to break even and bring home twelve dollars like the immigrants.
We should either have no laws and let everyone do whatever they want or we should have one set of rules and obey them before the economy dies forever.
I respect and understand your opinion on the issue and appreciate you elucidating it respectively and poignantly. When I was down on my luck in California only the Mexicans would stop on the highway and give a bum a lift and some food and smiles.
So I truly understand the genesis of your point of view but sometimes the big picture screams for attention. Illegal immigrants are leaving my area now because their home countries economies are more attractive and vibrant. It's a tough issue but sure to teach the lesson that every story, problem or situation has two wide sides of human issues. Midnight Mass accompanied by the children re-enacting the nativity scene with the little kids dressed up as the three wise men is the big tradition here.
Oh yeah, here in Massachusetts we have Portuguese from all over the world. It's like your area out west. Yes I dated a lot of Portuguese girls and played on the same sports teams with the boys. Here were about 45% Portuguese 10% Black and 45% Europeans. Don't tell the Natives I think they still want their land back!!!
I'm with you on the tamale thing. I live in Yuba City and work in Colusa, so I can really relate.
We don't save our tamales for Christmas Eve, but they are definitely part of our holiday season.
Hmmm, now you've made me wonder if the teenage girl I've gotten mine from the last two Christmases is going to be selling them again this year. I'll have to give her a call this week. If not, I'll have to hunt down your source in Colusa.
We do meatloaf Christmas Eve. Our ode to "Christmas Story" 🙂
Wow, I sit down to take a break from making tamales only to find a post about TAMALES!!!
It aint Christmas without tamales.
Tamales on Christmas eve, Gumbo on Christmas day. That satisfies both my Mexican and Creole sides!
Chinese food on Christmas! My family is Jewish, and yes, we partake in this one. How/Why do we think this started?
We do tamales with my in-laws, but they are Panamanian and Nicaraguan. My mom bakes these awesome delicious Neapolitan cookies. They are italian cookies with chocolate chips, raisins, cherries, and walnuts in a mix of dark and light batter. Yummy 🙂
As far as traditions go… me, my siblings and my cousins being difficult as my aunt tries to take a (horrible) picture of us every Christmas eve at my grandparent's… ah, so funny.
I taught English as a second Language to foreign adults and we had every nationality there is. So we celebrated everyone's special days. Ramadan, Hanakka,etc. and of course, Christmas. We sang carols, chose someone, maybe even a Muslim, to be Santa and hand out gifts. Everyone brought something of their own country for the feast and it was wonderful, We were one loving,laughing family.
I suppose someone in power would have fired me for mixing church and state but, y'know, I really didn't care.
Lots of tamales in Arizona around Christmas, but I love the sweet tamales best. Raisins, nuts, brown sugar, cinnamon is one version. Others use apricot jam and other yum fillings.
There are also rumblings about chocolate, but I've never tasted one.
Nathan,
Loved your Tamale blog. As a multigeneration native Texan who married into a Latin family, tamales have been on the regular holiday menu at our house for years.
I've never made them but I do buy them and the family gobbles them up. Sometimes we even save them until New Year's eve to have with champagne and shrimp cocktail. Wow, what a combo!
Hope you are having a wonderful holiday season!
Green corn tamales are a Christmas tradition here in Tucson–for anyone of whatever ethnicity who's lived here awhile. We had our annual Tamal Festival a week ago at the local Yaqui Casino–contests for the best tamales in different categories, lots of chances to taste various types, etc.–a fun time.