I did not know it was Christmas only.
My former neighbors were devout LDS church members, and had a family tradition of making tamales on New Year's Eve. They got me started.
It isn't a Christmas only tradition. For some families, that is the only time of the year they make them.
It isn't just Christmas only. Tamales are made year round ... but Christmas tamales are a ritual. A very delicious one at that.
I was told they are reminiscent of a swaddled Baby Jesus. Nothing better than authentic, hand made tamales. Recently, we were able, here in rural NW PA, to find a truly authentic Mexican restaurant (SW PA) that proudly serves handmade tamales. Yu-um! I'm hooked! I didn't care for them in the past, I'd never had a good one. Those 'tamales' served to us in school out of a can wrapped in waxpaper to keep their shape, sadly deficient, really put me off them, until now...