My Poor Mother-in-law

Mother in law has been at it all day. It's holiday season and she is hard at work in her kitchen making 'tamales', a traditional Costa Rican dish (lots and lots of Costa Ricans make tamales around Christmas time; it is a Spanish tradition).

Tamale origins:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamale

Mother in law makes her tamales in banana leaves and uses mashed corn paste filled with rice, olives, chicken, green beans, red bell peppers, potato slices and raisins. There are, however, variations on the recipe depending on country, region and person.



Here's a recipe I found on google for Costa Rican tamales:
http://costa-rica-guide.com/travel/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=286&Itemid=493

I feel so bad for my mother in law though, because this season was especially hectic and busy for her, she barely had time to go Christmas shopping. Like I mentioned before, she had been sewing from here to eternity all kinds of Christmas 'gifts' to give to people... table mats, shower curtains, aprons, dresses, pajamas, etc. Then she got busy putting together her nativity scene (portal), a must here in Costa Rica if you are Catholic.

Now she's making tamales, on top of hosting her 'posada' tomorrow, which is a religious gathering of people (friends, family) to sing Christmas songs, pray, read from the Bible and just revel in the season, all around the 'portal'.

Here is a history of the posada:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Las_Posadas

Traditionally, it starts out, for me, like Caroling... walking the streets at night, singing songs and playing music. Then once your destination is reached, usually someone's house, you pray and read Bible verses, followed by drinks and snacks. Mother in law will skip the 'caroling' part for her posada.

I feel like I should help her. But I don't know what I should do or how much help I can be. She's planning a lunch for Christmas day, I'll definitely help her then.