This year we delved into a whole new (to me) tradition of making tamales! Every year the girls haves helped me with baking traditional Norwegian treats for Christmas. Today was the first time that we veered to the other side of their heritage and got involved in some Mexican traditions. Well, at least one for now.
Charming helped to get me in the right frame of mindset, "Get ready for a lot of maza and corn husks. It's a lot of work."
When we got to my in-laws' house, our senses were awaked with the aroma if simmering beef. Let's just say that the hunger pains began immediately. Then I got a viewing of the table all setup with a giant bowl of maza, several knives and plenty of corn husks.
I grabbed my camera and was ready to commence documenting this first...dead. Dead battery. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! It had charged the night before and now the battery was dead? AGH!
Thank God for smart phones!
Okay, here we go!
Rose jumped right in and got into her maza smearing groove. She really was pretty good at it...maybe putting it on a bit thick. There were plenty that were too thick.
Grandma was prepared at her post to tackle the husks with excess maza. (She was a busy lady)
Grace took on the role of olive placer.
And song & dance entertainment.
It actually wasn't that much of a chore. It really was rather calming.
Okay, I have to admit that it had many moments of goofing off.
Watching my girls engulfed in a family tradition took me back to the days when I would sit at my Grandma Elly's kitchen counter smooshing dough into molds or chopping almonds with those old fashioned multi-blade choppers. Oh how my hands used to ache after that!
After about an hour both girls had lost interest in helping with anything anymore. Jacks were brought out, played with and then the balls were moved to large lids which became race tracks.
At the end of the afternoon we had a plethora of tamales ready for eating and storing for Christmas Eve.
And some leftover maza.
What are some of your family traditions at Christmas time? I hope you all enjoy every moment of them.
Merry Christmas!
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