# Feliz Navidad: Do they sing this?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feliz-navidad-do-they-sing-this/144480>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 23, 2002, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feliz-navidad-do-they-sing-this/144480 "2002-12-23T03:49:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feliz-navidad-do-they-sing-this/144480/1 "2002-12-23T03:49:18Z")

</div>

I was wondering if this song, Feliz Navidad, is just an old holiday classic in the USA, or maybe it’s as common in Mexico, for one as, say, “Jingle Bells” is in the USA?

BTW, I never studied Spanish. Please feel free to correct my spelling of this Spanish phrase (claus? ho-ho-ho!). 😃

- Jinx

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Daoloth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/82dd89/32.png) [@Daoloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daoloth)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feliz-navidad-do-they-sing-this/144480/2 "2002-12-23T05:19:33Z")

</div>

> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Jinx \*  
> \*\*I was wondering if this song, Feliz Navidad, is just an old holiday classic in the USA, or maybe it’s as common in Mexico, for one as, say, “Jingle Bells” is in the USA?
> 
> BTW, I never studied Spanish. Please feel free to correct my spelling of this Spanish phrase (claus? ho-ho-ho!). 😃
> 
> - Jinx \*\*

I’m confused about the question. Are you asking if Feliz Navidad is commonly sung in the US, or are you asking if it’s sung as common as Jingle Bells is in the US but in Mexico? Or are you asking both? 😕

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Ruffian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71e660/32.png) [@Ruffian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruffian)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feliz-navidad-do-they-sing-this/144480/3 "2002-12-23T05:35:42Z")

</div>

Well, I am 1) not a native Spanish speaker, 2) not Mexican, and 3) Have not been deep into the heart of Mexico.

But…

I teach Mexican immigrant children, and the vast majority of them know this song. Take from that what you will.

[sub]ah, anecdotal evidence. but it’s somethin’[/sub]

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feliz-navidad-do-they-sing-this/144480/4 "2002-12-23T05:37:59Z")

</div>

My understanding is he’s asking whether it’s essentially just popular in the U.S., or is it a traditional Hispanic song, the way Jingle Bells is a traditional American song.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feliz-navidad-do-they-sing-this/144480/5 "2002-12-23T05:42:35Z")

</div>

“Feliz Navidad” was written by Jose Feliciano, a native of Puerto Rico, in 1973. I refuse to accept anything created in my lifetime as “traditional” or an “old classic”!!!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feliz-navidad-do-they-sing-this/144480/6 "2002-12-23T05:46:04Z")

</div>

“Feliz navidad, feliz navidad  
Prospero año y felicidad”

Rinse and repeat.

It is a modern song. But there are many other traditional Christmas carols.