There are several foods I always equate with the holidays. Tamales are one. And pan de polvo, or Mexican wedding cookies coated in a cinammon sugar mix, are another. Yes, they're eaten at weddings, but also during Christmas-time.

I decided to make a few dozen this year, and I used Eva Longoria's recipe because I couldn't find my grandmother's. In my head, I can see it clearly written on a paper plate (which is where she seemed to jot down all her recetas). But since Eva Longoria is from South Texas, and so am I, originally, I figured her recipe had to be close to the real thing.

EL's version turned out pretty good, but the only thing I might tweak is not adding the baking powder, or using less of it, because that made them a bit more cookie-ish than crumbly, which is how I'm used to having them. Of course, I had to use my favorite vanilla in the world, La Vencedora. This bottle will last for years! I got this one in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico.

I even let my little girl shape a few galletitas. And she happilly taste-tested. Or at least, she did a good job of licking off all the sugar/cinammon and leaving the rest of the galleta.

If you have little ones and want to expose them to a little bit of Latino culture, here's a few ways to Latinofy the holidays.

5. Abuelita Hot Chocolate: 

These cinnamon-infused chocolate tablets make the best hot chocolate during Christmas time. I just break up the big piece of chocolate -- which is not easy to do -- and then I put the smaller pieces in the blender to really grind them. Then I pour some regular milk and evaporated milk into a large pot on the stovetop, stir in the chocolate, and let it dissolve. The final touch: I add more cinnamon flavor by throwing a few cinnamon sticks in the simmering milk and letting the flavor seep through. One word: delish.

4. Acostar y Arrullar the Big Baby Jesus: 

Typically, you wait until Noche Buena to do this, but we've already put our Baby Jesus (like a BIG ONE) under the tree, much to our toddler's delight. She loves this over-sized baby and is always putting her little Kai-Lan and Olivia dolls next to him to sleep, too.

3. Virgen de Guadalupe Celebration: 

It's not a Christmas holiday, but the wonderful Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe happens during the holiday season. It's the day that the blessed Virgen appeared to the peasant indigena Juan Diego in 1531 in Tepeyac, Mexico. I think it's just in my DNA to love this celebration, especially when there are mariachis who play Las Mañanitas. Last year, we visited the Basilica here in Washington, DC, and I dressed my toddler up as Juan Dieguita so that she could pay homage and leave roses at OLG's shrine.

2. Las Posadas: 

This re-enactment of Mary and Joseph's trek to Bethlehem, and their search for an inn, or posada, runs from Dec. 16 through the 24th. Growing up we would celebrate these in my hometown. I especially like the call and response song: Eeeen el nombre del cieeeeeelo, ooooos pido posaaaada/ Pues, no puede andaaaaaaar, mi querida espooooooosa. I really wish we could do this here, but in a city it can be a challenge.

1. Tamales: 

Mexican tamalitos are synonymous with the holiday season to me. In my hometown, they are often made with venison, as the winter is deer-hunting season. Now that I'm older and I have to really watch the calories, I try to only have them for a special occasion, like a holiday party! My mom brought up a suitcase full from Texas (literally, she had to rearrange her suitcases at the airport because it weighed a whopping 65 lbs.). This weekend, we shared about five dozen tamales -- chicken, pork, and jalapeno and cream cheese -- with friends and family who came over to our home (see pic, toddler had a blast). As I like to say: Los tamales compartidos son mas ricos y divertos.

Move over Christmas with your holiday colors. La bandera mexicana is also red, white and green, and so are the staples of our cooking. I'd say about half of what I cook has these three in it: tomato, onion and cilantro. I use it in a ton of different ways, including to make pico de gallo, to add to avocado to make guacamole, or just add to a can of Goya pinto beans para componerlos, as my mom says. Buen provecho!

Our holidays have always been a mix of culture and traditions, but they're blended so well that it's sometimes hard to separate where one ends and the other begins. We eat tamales (de venado), with ketchup. Yep, ketchup (it's a habit leftover from childhood). We drink Abuelita hot chocolate. We make lots of fudge. We wait and wait and wait until we hear Last Christmas by Wham! play in some retail store so we can be filled with nostalgia. 

When I was a kid we never missed going to las posadas, and I remember whoever happened to be hosting always gave the kids paper bags full of hard candy, apples, oranges and cacahuates. Yes, we were happy to get fruit! I'm also old enough to remember perusing the Sears Christmas catalog and picking out a Strawberry shortcake bike. And a five-piece furniture set with canopy bed that must've been too big for Santa Clos to transport.

Of course, behind every good memory is a soundtrack, and in our house, the soundtrack happens to go from English to Spanish and back and forth. So I decided to make a mix-tape of what we like so that I could share with others. I call it a 'Mi Spanglish Holiday Mix Tape.' It's a mix that goes from Spanish to English, from grown-up songs to tunes that delight toddlers (or mine, at least). Hope you enjoy. I've linked most of the songs to iTunes in case you want to download.

1. Mamacita, Donde Esta Santa Claus, Augie Rios
2. Baby, It's Cold Outside, A Very She and Him Christmas (Zooey Deschanel)
3. Christmas in Harlem, Kanye West
4. Los Peces en el Rio, Gipsy Kings
5. Feliz Navidad, Tito el Bambino
6. Come on! Let's Boogie to the Elf Dance! Sufjan Stevens
   
7. Run Run Rudolph, Los Lonely Boys
8. You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch, Glee
9. Party Hard, Little Isidore
10. Todo Lo Que Quiero Eres Tu, Kabah
11. El Burrito de Belen, Juanes
12. Miracle, Matisyahu (feat. Shyne)
13. Star of Wonder, Tori Amos
14. The Chipmunk Song, Christmas Don't Be Late
15. Rill Rill, Sleigh Bells
16. Lechon, Lechon, Lechon, Victor Manuelle
17. Feliz Navidad, Jose Feliciano
18. Christmastime is Here, Charlie Brown Christmas

El Burrito de Belen is officially the toddler K's favorite Christmas song, and in particular she likes the Juanes version that's on the Superestrellas En Navidad album. She really shakes her hips to it.

Si me ven, si me ven, voy camino de Belen

Tuqui tuqui tuqui tuqui/ tuqui tuqui tuqui ta/ Apurate mi burrito/ que ya vamos a llegar!

Okay, I like it too. I'm not so into the Christmas songs that are just English translations -- like the 'All I Want for Christmas is You' in Spanish. For that, I'll stick to Mariah. Or the young girl from Love Actually. I'm not really a fan of Hugh Grant, the man, but I'm a sucker for most of his movies. Especially this one. And About a Boy. And Four Weddings and a Funeral.