In a state that can go from a frigid 30 degrees to a stifling 80 in just a few hours, I think it’s safe to say Texas is pretty weird sometimes – and that craziness also extends to the holidays! Here are some Christmas traditions in our state that might seem a little strange to non-Texans.
- Eating tamales on Christmas morning.
Flickr/bigrickstuart Wait, most people eat Thanksgiving food again on Christmas Day? Well, leave it to us Texans to break the mold. Tamales might not originate here, but our bellies are more than happy to adopt the tradition.
- Chopping down your own tree.
Flickr/llstalteri This mostly applies to East Texas, but I’m sure it happens in other areas of the state as well. I’ve never personally chopped down my own tree, but my mom grew up in Kirbyville and that was their tradition every year after they ate Thanksgiving lunch.
- Poinsettias!
Flickr/freakgirl You’ll see these outside many Texas homes during the holiday season. Some of us even have poinsettia light displays! We’re very fond of this flower to say the least.
- Hanging barbed wire wreaths.
Flickr/rustiqueart They might not be as “pretty” as the standard lush green wreath studded with pine cones, but we couldn’t care less. We’ll keep repping our cowboy roots until the day we die.
- Going overboard.
Flickr/jmtimages Excess is the name of the game here in Texas. Everything is bigger, and that doesn’t exclude Christmas by any means. We have the most lights, biggest, most grandiose celebrations, and the most gluttonous amounts of food - and we wouldn’t change a thing about that.
- Eating fruitcake.
Flickr/razzmataz This holiday treat gets a lot of hate in other parts of the country, but it’s an age-old tradition here. Back in the Old West, cooks used to spend days drying fruit by hand so the cake would be the perfect consistency for hardworking cowboys to enjoy after a long day of work.
- Lining our walkways with luminarias.
Flickr/azdodsons These elegant lanterns are a Mexican custom that we’ve made our own over the years. Seeing them floating in the night is a magical sight that really captures the spirit of the holiday season.
- Visiting the River Walk.
Flickr/navycrackerjack74 It wouldn’t be Christmas in Texas without a nighttime stroll down the most decked-out street in Texas. Between the already lively nature of the city due to the vibrant Mexican culture and the trees adorned with lights from head to toe, you’ll be in the Christmas spirit faster than you can say “spit.”
- Eating brisket instead of the traditional turkey or ham.
Flickr/the-spoon What can we say? We love barbecue, and if we can manage to not go a day without it, why would we?
- …and if we do have turkey, you bet it’s fried to perfection (or barbecued.)
Flickr/pguyton But if we do go the more traditional route, we put a Texas spin on it. You won’t find a dry, boring turkey in this state, no sir.
How many of these can you relate to? Be sure to let us know if there are any other Texas holiday traditions that are just a little bit wacky!
Flickr/bigrickstuart
Wait, most people eat Thanksgiving food again on Christmas Day? Well, leave it to us Texans to break the mold. Tamales might not originate here, but our bellies are more than happy to adopt the tradition.
Flickr/llstalteri
This mostly applies to East Texas, but I’m sure it happens in other areas of the state as well. I’ve never personally chopped down my own tree, but my mom grew up in Kirbyville and that was their tradition every year after they ate Thanksgiving lunch.
Flickr/freakgirl
You’ll see these outside many Texas homes during the holiday season. Some of us even have poinsettia light displays! We’re very fond of this flower to say the least.
Flickr/rustiqueart
They might not be as “pretty” as the standard lush green wreath studded with pine cones, but we couldn’t care less. We’ll keep repping our cowboy roots until the day we die.
Flickr/jmtimages
Excess is the name of the game here in Texas. Everything is bigger, and that doesn’t exclude Christmas by any means. We have the most lights, biggest, most grandiose celebrations, and the most gluttonous amounts of food - and we wouldn’t change a thing about that.
Flickr/razzmataz
This holiday treat gets a lot of hate in other parts of the country, but it’s an age-old tradition here. Back in the Old West, cooks used to spend days drying fruit by hand so the cake would be the perfect consistency for hardworking cowboys to enjoy after a long day of work.
Flickr/azdodsons
These elegant lanterns are a Mexican custom that we’ve made our own over the years. Seeing them floating in the night is a magical sight that really captures the spirit of the holiday season.
Flickr/navycrackerjack74
It wouldn’t be Christmas in Texas without a nighttime stroll down the most decked-out street in Texas. Between the already lively nature of the city due to the vibrant Mexican culture and the trees adorned with lights from head to toe, you’ll be in the Christmas spirit faster than you can say “spit.”
Flickr/the-spoon
What can we say? We love barbecue, and if we can manage to not go a day without it, why would we?
Flickr/pguyton
But if we do go the more traditional route, we put a Texas spin on it. You won’t find a dry, boring turkey in this state, no sir.
Want to read about more weird traditions in Texas? Check out 13 Crazy Traditions You’ll Totally Get If You’re From Texas.
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