Stock Up on Holiday Tamales by the Dozen at These 12 Essential Arizona Mexican Markets

Some Arizona families spend days making tamales for Christmas, spreading masa and wrapping hundreds of corn husks by hand. That tradition runs deep, tied to Las Posadas and long kitchen-table gatherings. I love that tradition. I also know December doesn’t hand out extra hours, and nobody wants to spend the week before Christmas elbow-deep in masa while the gifts sit unwrapped. That’s where the neighborhood mercados and carnicerias come in. Many sell tamales ready to take home, and se