Candlemas Day: Delicious and Unique Tamales!

Published on February 9, 2026

Tradition says that after finding shelter, the Virgin Mary went to a church 40 days after the birth of baby Jesus to give thanks for his birth and for bringing light into the world. That is why February 2nd is celebrated 40 days after Christmas.

In Mexican tradition, this celebration is also connected to Día de Reyes on January 6th. Those who find the baby Jesus figurine hidden inside their slice of Rosca de Reyes are responsible for buying, or making, tamales on this day, as a way of honoring the Virgin Mary.

At Alebrijes, we celebrate this Mexican tradition by eating tamales, but not just any tamales! 

While traditional tamales include green tamales (chicken with green salsa), rajas (strips of chili peppers with cheese and spicy sauce), mole (black mole with chicken), and sweet tamales (with sugar and raisins), we decided to try something different and let our students taste a variety of unique flavors:

• Plantain tamales with mole
• Bean tamales with Manchego cheese
• Huitlacoche tamales with quesillo
• Sweet corn tamales
• And other traditional tamales

During these celebrations, in addition to learning Spanish, we enjoy practicing communication in a relaxed and fun environment while talking about topics such as traditions, culture shock, surprises, and even disappointments.

By the end, there were so many tamales that everyone took home their itacate (leftover food) to enjoy later at home.

We regularly organize activities like this, all of which help improve Spanish language skills. If you are interested in our educational offerings, visit our Classes section for more information.