Candlemas tamales: the 2 February tradition explained

What is it?

Candlemas Day tamales are the centrepiece of the Mexican celebration of 2 February, the Catholic feast of the Presentation of the Infant Jesus at the temple. Whoever found the little Baby Jesus figures hidden in the Kings' Day ring (rosca de Reyes) on 6 January is obliged to provide tamales and atole for everyone present on this date, closing a ritual cycle of almost two months that began with the posadas. The tamales may be of any regional variety: green tamales with chicken, red with pork, mole, rajas, sweetcorn, sweet, Oaxacan in banana leaf, or northern in corn husk. The celebration brings together families, offices, schools and neighbourhoods around the table with freshly made tamales, hot atole, café de olla and conversation. It is one of the liveliest and most widely shared gastronomic rituals in the national calendar.

Origin and history

The feast of 2 February combines two traditions: the Presentation of the Infant Jesus at the temple (40 days after Christmas, following the Jewish tradition of purification) and the pre-Hispanic celebration of the start of the maize agricultural cycle, which coincided with the nearby equinox. Larousse Cocina notes that for Mesoamerican peoples February marked the start of sowing, and tamales (the sacred maize food) were an offering to Chalchiuhtlicue and Tláloc, gods of water. After the conquest, Catholic friars merged the celebrations: the blessing of candles (Candelaria) on 2 February became associated with the blessing of seeds for sowing, and tamales remained the ritual dish. México Desconocido documents that the specific connection with the Kings' ring (whoever draws the Baby pays for the tamales) became established in the 19th century as a popular practice. Today it is one of the liveliest traditions of Mexican ceremonial cookery, with mass consumption of tamales on 2 February. The Government of Mexico officially recognises the tradition.

Characteristic ingredients

The 2 February tamales may be of any Mexican regional variety, though the most popular are: green tamales (dough with lard, tomatillo green salsa and shredded chicken), red tamales (guajillo and ancho chilli sauce with shredded pork), mole tamales (dough with red or Puebla-style mole and chicken), rajas tamales (strips of poblano chilli with fresh cheese), sweet sweetcorn tamales (with corn kernels, sugar and cinnamon), and Oaxacan tamales (wrapped in banana leaf, with black or yellow mole). The basic dough combines fresh nixtamalised maize masa or masa harina (Maseca, Maíz Maya), pork or vegetable lard beaten until fluffy, stock, salt and baking powder. It is filled, wrapped in leaves (dried corn husk for northern and central ones, banana leaf for southern and Gulf ones), and steamed for 60-90 minutes in an aluminium steamer or traditional tamalera. The accompanying atole may be chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, guava, pinole, rice or plain white atole made with masa.

Cultural significance

Candlemas Day with tamales is one of the liveliest and most participatory gastronomic traditions in the Mexican calendar, present across absolutely every social class, age group and region of the country. The date closes the ritual cycle of posadas-Christmas-New Year-Kings'-Candlemas, which lasts almost two months and shapes national festive life. The tamale economy experiences its second great annual peak on 2 February (the first is 1 and 2 November for Day of the Dead); millions of tamales are sold in markets, tamale shops, street stalls and tianguis. The ritual chain of ring-Baby-tamales-atole brings together extended families, work colleagues and neighbours, strengthening community ties. Traditional Mexican cuisine was recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2010, and tamales (present in every region) are one of its pillars. The cultural syncretism is clearly expressed: the Christian candle, the pre-Hispanic maize sowing, the European Kings' ring and the Mesoamerican tamales all converge on a single date.

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