Locals line up for Santa Ana tamales as Christmas nears

In a festive sign that Christmas is just around the corner, locals lined up in Santa Ana to get their hands on some homemade tamales. 

For 85 years Sariñana's Mexican food restaurant on 5th Street in Santa Ana has been making tamales with the same ingredients. 

"As soon as I get them, I devour them," said one customer Friday. 

Teresa Nieves, the lead tamale maker and owner of Sariñana's, and her team were hard at work Friday, preparing batches of pork, chicken, beef, and cheese tamales to meet the high demand. 

The kitchen's popularity extends beyond California, with families from across the country purchasing the handcrafted delights, even opting to have them shipped to loved ones. 

"They come from Tennessee, Chicago, they come from way far away," said Nieves. 

She added customers can enjoy their favorite tamales right up until Christmas Day.