Making tamales – a holiday tradition that brings families together in East Texas

This story is one of several featured in the November/December 2026 Holiday Issue of ETX View. More stories will be published in the coming days. Read the full issue here. Wrapped in corn husks, filled with meat, cheese or even something sweet, tamales are more than a holiday dish. They are a tradition passed from one generation to the next, a reason for families to gather around a table and a food that can take hours to prepare. “I think it’s because it’s a long process, we actually get to sit down at the table – all of us, the whole family – to get everything set up,” said Sugey Garcia, owner of Grand Catering East Texas in Longview. “And while you’re doing it, you’re preparing them, you’re actually making memories, and we’re chatting and conversing with each other.” Making tamales involves several steps, from preparing the filling and masa to washing corn husks, assembling the tamales and steaming them for more than an hour.

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