Can we go ahead and say it? The Christmas season is officially here. Retailers have been rolling it out since Halloween, so we might as well lean into it.
I’m a Halloween guy myself — all year long, I keep a Halloween tree proudly displayed in my house. But that doesn’t mean I don’t have room for Christmas. In fact, right now there’s a Christmas tree set up right next to the Halloween one. Both are black, but that’s beside the point. The real message is: take your joy wherever it finds you. If you want St. Patrick’s Day in September, Valentine’s Day in July, or Halloween every day (my personal favorite), I’m here for it.
Why Lubbock’s Christmas Tamales Are the Best Holiday Tradition
Still, even when celebrations can be year-round, some traditions hit harder in their proper season. You can enjoy Christmas lights in March, but you won’t find Blue Bell Peppermint Ice Cream in the middle of July. And while you could wear a Santa hat to work on Easter, it might raise some eyebrows. Which brings me to one tradition Lubbock should never overlook: homemade Christmas tamales.
Yes, tamales are available all year. But Christmas tamales — the real homemade ones — are on an entirely different level. Around here, you need one of two things to secure the good stuff: either a trusted “tamale guy,” or enough bravery to buy them out of a trunk or roadside setup. Personally, I’ve got a “tamale guy” who always knows which Abuelita is doing her best work that year.
Tamale making is an art. A true balance. Bigger is not better. There’s a perfect ratio of masa to meat, and when that balance tilts too far in either direction, the whole experience collapses. And while people argue endlessly about what belongs on a tamale, I’ll keep it simple — give me a naked tamale with just enough grease to slide right on down. Perfection.
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Christmas is coming fast. Now is the time to tighten up those tamale connections. The season waits for no one — and neither do the good Abuelitas.
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