This post was written for me by my good friend Mia - I asked her to talk about her family tamale-making tradition. It is wonderful to hear how different families celebrate this time of year with their own festive and fun traditions! Thanks Mia for your insight 
In our family we have an annual tradition of holiday tamale making. This is a long-held Mexican tradition that has been passed down for generations. Personal to our family, there is a hierarchical work line. It starts with the cleaning and sizing of the corn husks. This job is saved for the least experienced tamale makers such as children, teenagers or newcomers. This role is not taken lightly. If you are assigned to corn husk detail, prepare yourself for endless ridicule (all in good fun of course).
Next, the masa is prepared and spread onto each corn husk. The masa is made of cornmeal and lard. The masa soldiers are in constant competition to see who can spread the masa the fastest, smoothest and heartiest onto the corn husks. My father has proven to be the ultimate masa spreader for years. We do our best to give him a good run for his money.
After the masa is spread onto the husk, the most experience member fills the center with shredded meat made of pork and chile. This role has always been filled by my mother. In her youth, my grandmother was the meat preparer and before her, my great-grandmother. Our tradition began, in the mountains of northern Mexico where my great-grandmother assembled the work line. This year my mother prepared the meat the night before, and it’s known in our family that the spice level of the meat provides evidence of the mood the meat maker was in while preparing the meat. This year, it was evident that my mother was in a bad mood because the meat was exceptionally spicy.
Lastly, a family member rolls the tamales, wraps them in paper and stores them in bags. From there, we give them away as gifts to friends and eat them on Christmas day. Each one is a tiny little present ready to be unwrapped and served.
This is our tradition. It is a very special time for us to set aside from our busy schedules in order to celebrate one another.
