27 Spanish Christmas Songs, From Traditional Villancicos to Feliz Navidad

What is the most famous Spanish Christmas song?

"Feliz Navidad" by José Feliciano, released in 1970, is the most famous Spanish-language Christmas song in the world, mixing Spanish and English in a chorus everyone knows. Among traditional songs, "Los Peces en el Río" and "Campana Sobre Campana" are the villancicos most families sing, and "Mi Burrito Sabanero", written by the Venezuelan composer Hugo Blanco, is the Christmas favorite of Latin American kids.

Traditional villancicos

1. "Los Peces en el Río": the best-known villancico, about the fish in the river watching the newborn.
2. "Campana Sobre Campana": an Andalusian carol about bells ringing out.
3. "Noche de Paz": "Silent Night" in Spanish.
4. "Hacia Belén Va una Burra": a playful carol about a donkey on the way to Bethlehem.
5. "Los Pastores a Belén": the shepherds' journey.
6. "Arre Borriquito": a cheerful children's carol.
7. "La Marimorena": a lively Spanish villancico for Christmas Eve.
8. "Ya Viene la Vieja": a traditional carol about bringing gifts.
9. "Dime Niño de Quién Eres": a tender carol addressed to the Christ child.
10. "Hoy Es Navidad": a joyful Latin American favorite.
11. "Ya Viene el Niñito": a gentle carol sung across Latin America.
12. "Los Campanilleros": an Andalusian dawn carol.

Mexican posada songs

13. "Para Pedir Posada": the call-and-response song of Las Posadas, when Mary and Joseph ask for shelter.
14. "Dale, Dale, Dale": the piñata song sung at every posada.

Puerto Rican parranda songs

15. "Si Me Dan Pasteles": the parranda favorite about asking for holiday food at the door.
16. "De la Montaña Venimos": a classic aguinaldo for a late-night parranda.

Latin pop and classic Spanish Christmas songs

17. "Feliz Navidad", José Feliciano: the bilingual classic.
18. "Mi Burrito Sabanero", written by Hugo Blanco: famous in versions by La Rondallita and Juanes.
19. "El Tamborilero", Raphael: the Spanish "Little Drummer Boy".
20. "Ven a Mi Casa Esta Navidad", Luis Aguilé: an invitation to come home for Christmas.
21. "Santa Claus Llegó a la Ciudad", Luis Miguel: from his Christmas album.
22. "Santa, Te Espero a las 10", Paty Cantú: a modern pop Christmas song.
23. "Blanca Navidad": "White Christmas" in Spanish.
24. "Navidad, Navidad": "Jingle Bells" in Spanish.
25. "Rodolfo el Reno": "Rudolph" in Spanish.

Sad Spanish Christmas songs

26. "Navidad Sin Ti", Los Bukis: missing someone at Christmas.
27. "Amarga Navidad", José Alfredo Jiménez: a bittersweet ranchera.

Spanish Christmas songs for kids

For children learning Spanish or singing at a school program, "Mi Burrito Sabanero", "Arre Borriquito", "Los Peces en el Río", "Navidad, Navidad" and "Rodolfo el Reno" are the easiest and most fun. Add "Feliz Navidad" so the English speakers in the room can join the chorus.

Spanish Christmas songs for church

For a Mass or a church program, "Noche de Paz", "Los Pastores a Belén", "Dime Niño de Quién Eres" and "Campana Sobre Campana" fit a reverent setting, with "Los Peces en el Río" for a joyful close.

Christmas music, country by country

Mexico

Las Posadas fill the nine nights before Christmas with processions, "Para Pedir Posada" and piñatas, and many towns stage pastorelas, comic nativity plays with songs. Nochebuena ends with Midnight Mass and a late family dinner.

Spain

Villancicos are sung at home and in church from Christmas Eve to Three Kings Day. In Jerez and other parts of Andalusia, the zambomba is a street gathering where neighbors sing flamenco-style carols around a fire.

Puerto Rico

Parrandas are the Puerto Rican version of caroling: friends show up at a door late at night with guitars, cuatros and maracas, and the party moves from house to house.

Venezuela

Christmas is the season of gaitas, upbeat songs from Zulia state, alongside traditional aguinaldos and "Mi Burrito Sabanero".

Colombia

Families pray the Novena de Aguinaldos for the nine days before Christmas, singing villancicos like "Tutaina" and "Mi Burrito Sabanero" each night.

Old Spanish Christmas songs

Some villancicos are centuries old. "Riu Riu Chiu" is a 16th-century Spanish carol still sung by choirs today, and "Los Peces en el Río" and "Campana Sobre Campana" have been passed down by families for generations. For a classical Christmas concert, early Spanish villancicos make a beautiful program.

Songs for a Nochebuena party

For a Nochebuena party, mix the classics with dance music: "Feliz Navidad" and "Mi Burrito Sabanero" for the whole family, then salsa, merengue and cumbia for the dance floor after dinner. In Venezuelan homes the gaitas take over, and in Puerto Rico the parranda carries on past midnight.

When are Spanish Christmas songs sung?

• Las Posadas, December 16 to 24 in Mexico: nine nights of processions, "Para Pedir Posada" and piñatas.
• Nochebuena, December 24: the big family dinner, villancicos and Midnight Mass.
• Parrandas, in Puerto Rico: friends go door to door with music, often late at night.
• Día de Reyes, January 6: Three Kings Day closes the season, especially in Spain and Latin America.

A Christmas song in Spanish for your family

Every song above belongs to everyone. A personalized Christmas song in Spanish can belong to your family: the names of the abuelos, the tamales your tía makes, the posada at your house, the cousins who fly in every December. It is a gift the whole family will play at Nochebuena for years. See our Christmas song for the family and our lists of Christian Christmas songs and funny Christmas songs.

How to create a Christmas song in Spanish

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The full 3 to 4 minute song costs $24.99, or $29.99 for Premium with four full versions and editable lyrics. You get the MP3, a gift page and the lyrics as a PDF.

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