Tamales are a Christmas tradition at our house. Everyone loves them. Sometimes they even help me make them, which makes it all so much easier. We always make the pork ones for those that are traditionalists, but then we make others that are a bit more offbeat: veggie, cream cheese and olives, corn, green chiles and Mexican cheese, picadillo, sugar and cinnamon (dulce,) wild mushroom...the list is endless.
Making the sauce is a job in itself. You can simplify things by starting out with enchilada sauce (green, or red,) and tweaking it from there. We used to use lard for the dough, but now we use a veggie shortening, which makes the dough lighter and I think, tastier. Some people add baking powder to their dough for a light, fluffy tamale, while others go without. We've done it both ways and we can't decide which is better. We ALWAYS put an olive in the center of the savory ones.
~C