How to wish a happy holidays & Merry Christmas in Spanish

Celebrate the best time of the year with these 43 ways of wishing your loved ones a Merry Christmas in Spanish.

Celebrating Christmas is one of the most popular festivities around the world, but it’s especially important in Latin America. As one of the regions in the world with the highest rates of Christianity, it’s no surprise that many people celebrate this holiday in the Spanish-speaking world. The massive popularity of the holiday also means that many non-Christians have adopted the holiday, becoming a cultural phenomenon that is important to people beyond religious ties.

If you find yourself in a Spanish-speaking country during Christmas, then you’ll definitely want to learn a few ways of wishing someone a Merry Christmas. Even if you don’t partake in the celebrations yourself, you’re bound to be wished a Merry Christmas every now and then, so you’ll want to know how to respond.

In this festive article, we’ll be covering 43 unique ways of wishing someone a Merry Christmas in Spanish, plus several inclusive ways of wishing someone a happy holiday regardless of religion.

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Table of contents

• Christmas greetings in Spanish
• 43 ways to say Merry Christmas in Spanish
• Christmas vocabulary in Spanish
• Popular Christmas songs and Christmas carols in Spanish
• How is Christmas celebrated in Spanish-speaking countries?
• How to say Happy Holidays in Spanish
• Happy Holiday quotes in Spanish
• How to write a Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays message in Spanish

Christmas greetings in Spanish

First things first, let’s talk about how to actually say Merry Christmas in Spanish: ¡ Feliz Navidad! You may have heard this Christmas greeting before, as it’s the most common one, but it’s not the only one. There are many ways of wishing someone a Merry Christmas in Spanish, and you can choose the best one depending on the level of closeness and what your Christmas wishes are. Below, we’ll cover dozens of ways to wish someone a Merry Christmas in Spanish so you can go beyond the simple ¡Feliz Navidad!

43 ways to say Merry Christmas in Spanish

So, although “¡Feliz Navidad!” can do the trick in most situations, we don’t want you to simply get by: we want you to thrive. Especially during the holidays! Making a great impression on your loved ones during the holidays is very important, as it’s a time to show your friends and family that you care for them and wish them well. Since New Year’s Day comes so close after Christmas, many Christmas wishes include some Spanish happy New Year’s wishes as well.

Check out the following Spanish Christmas greetings with various levels of cheer and love so you always have the right greeting.

Christmas greetings for businesses

As Spanish continues to climb the list of the best languages for business , so does the number of people learning Spanish for business. As such, you’ll want to foster a positive relationship with your clients, colleagues, and business partners — and that includes the holiday season. Here are some greetings you can use to wish a Merry Christmas to those you work with!

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Christmas vocabulary in Spanish

Christmas time offers a great opportunity to learn some fun new Spanish vocabulary. From special food, drinks, flowers, and much more, you can take this as an opportunity to supercharge your Spanish knowledge. Plus, knowing these words will help you be even more festive so you can enjoy the holidays to the max. That’s a win-win in my book!

10 Popular Christmas songs and Christmas carols in Spanish

The holidays are the time to enjoy blissful moments with friends and family. And what brings more joy than singing along to some festive songs? If you’re looking for your new favorite Merry Christmas song in Spanish, here are ten excellent choices for all kinds of people, from children to teenagers and adults!

1. Feliz Navidad by José Feliciano
   If you grew up in the United States, then you’ve probably heard this song before. One of the most popular Spanish Christmas songs in the English-speaking world, this is a quintessential song to know if you’re learning Spanish and want to celebrate Christmas.
2. Santa Claus Llegó a la Ciudad by Luis Miguel
   If you’ve never heard of Luis Miguel — or, Luismi — then you need to buckle up and save some new albums to your Spotify library. One of the most iconic Spanish pop singers of all time, Luis Miguel has made hits for decades, including Christmas songs. This Spanish adaptation of the classic “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” is very popular in Mexico and across Latin America during Christmas time.
3. El Burrito de Belén
   Also known as “El Burrito Sabanero,” this is a timeless Christmas carol that virtually all Latin Americans know. It narrates the story of making his way to Bethlehem (called Belén in Spanish) along with his donkey.
4. Los Peces en el Río
   This is another timeless Christmas carol that you’re bound to hear whenever you spend the holidays in a Spanish-speaking country. It tells the story of fish in a river that drank up all the water after Jesus was born.
5. Campana Sobre Campana
   This is another popular Christmas carol, which, like Jingle Bells, deals with, well, jingle bells. Except that the Spanish carol is much more demure and somber, so don’t try to play this song in the same situations as Jingle Bells!
6. Los Pastores a Belén
   This is another Spanish Christmas carol that deals with Bethlehem, the famed birthplace of Jesus. This carol narrates how the shepherds reacted upon the birth of Jesus. Hint: they were excited!
7. Noche de Paz, Noche de Amor
   This is one of the most popular Christmas Eve carols. Originally composed in German, this carol has been translated into Spanish and adopted by Spanish speakers everywhere.
8. Mamacita, ¿Dónde Está Santa Claus? by Chabelo
   Chabelo is one of the most iconic children’s performers in Mexico and Latin America. His TV show and extensive discography are enjoyed by millions of children all over the world, and this Christmas song
9. Blanca Navidad by La Oreja de Van Gogh
   If you’re looking for something grown-ups can enjoy in a social setting, then the following three songs are for you. This song is from the popular Spanish band La Oreja de Van Gogh, known for hard-hitting lyrics and excellent vocals.
10. Dulce Navidad by Morat y Dana Paola
    Morat and Dana Paola are some of the most popular artists among the younger generations of Latin Americans. They perform this fresh adaptation of Feliz Navidad.

How is Christmas celebrated in Spanish-speaking countries?

While Christmas is celebrated in many countries all over the world, there are many differences in how it’s celebrated across cultures. There are many variations among Spanish-speaking countries too, and many regions will have local customs, so not all traditions will be the same everywhere. Here are some of the most common traditions in Spanish-speaking countries:

Christmas Eve in Spanish-speaking countries

If you’re from the U.S. and celebrate Christmas, then you’re probably used to celebrating it on the 25th of December. However, most Spanish-speaking countries have a big Christmas celebration on Christmas Eve — the 24th of December. Typically, you’ll have a large dinner with your family on the 24th and spend the 25th with your friends and extended family.

Los nascimentos

For about a month before Christmas and a couple of weeks after, you’ll find nativity scenes — known in Spanish as “nascimientos” — everywhere in Spain and Latin America. These are depictions of the day Jesus was born, with figurines of the Virgin Mary, St. Joseph, a donkey, a hay crib, and other characters. You’ll notice that the crib will be left empty until the 25th of December when Baby Jesus is placed on it to signify his birth. You’ll find nascimientos both in public settings and in private homes.

La Misa del Gallo

Traditionally, Catholics will go to mass exactly at midnight on the evening of December 24th. However, more and more people now choose to go to mass during the day on December 25th instead so as to not interrupt the Christmas Eve celebrations.

Las posadas

Finding yourself in a Spanish-speaking country in December can be a really fun time. Starting around the 10th of December, you’ll be invited to plenty of pre-Christmas parties known as “las posadas.” Traditionally, these parties signify the struggles Mary and Joseph faced when they got turned away from inns in Bethlehem before Jesus’s birth. Today, posadas are fun parties meant to be

Las piñatas

Piñatas are world-famous festivities, most often associated with Mexico. However, they were originally introduced to Mexico from Europe, which had been brought over from China. The modern take on piñatas, however, stems from a Maya tradition that involved blindfolding the person hitting the piñata. The Aztecs also used piñatas to commemorate the god Huitzilopochtli, so it’s no surprise why they’re so common in Mexico to this date.

Today, piñatas are commonly used in posadas right before Christmas and for birthday celebrations. They are shaped in the form of a star with seven spikes, each representing one of the seven deadly sins. The piñata is then hit with a stick until it’s broken, which is meant to represent an act of purification so that the participants are better able to receive Jesus on the 25th. Oh, and did I mention that piñatas are usually filled with candy? No wonder everyone loves them!

El Día de los Santos Inocentes

You’re probably familiar with April Fool’s Day, a day for pranksters to pull out their best stunts and nobody can get mad about it (within reason!). The Spanish-speaking world’s equivalent of April Fool’s doesn’t happen in April, and it’s actually tied to the Christmas season. El Día de los Santos Inocentes (The Day of the Holy Innocents) commemorates all the children who were murdered because of Herod I the Great. He ordered that all children under the age of two had to be murdered in order to kill off Jesus, who he presumed was going to attempt to overthrow him.

Today, however, the holiday is taken as a day to pull off pranks on unsuspecting “ inocentes” (gullible people). So, remember to be on the lookout every December 28 and to take everything with a grain of salt!

Día de Reyes Magos

You didn’t think the holiday celebrations would be over just after New Year’s, right? Spanish speakers love to celebrate, which is why the holiday season is extra long. In fact, one of the biggest holidays happens on January 6th, which is the day of the Reyes Magos (the three wise men). It commemorates the arrival of the three wise men, who traveled to Bethlehem to give Jesus three presents: oro (gold), mirra (myrrh) e incienso (incense).

This holiday varies in importance and traditions depending on the country. Here’s what you can expect for Día de Reyes in a few Spanish-speaking countries:

Spain

Celebrations in Spain begin the night of September 5th, which commemorates the galloping of the three wise men, Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar, to Bethlehem. This often involves a parade in the streets with different representations of the wise men making their triumphant arrival into town. Before going to bed, children will polish a pair of shoes and leave them out in a place the three wise men can get to, like the window sill, along with a glass of milk and some food like turrones (Spanish nougat).

In turn, the wise men will bring presents to children. That’s right, that means kids in Spain get presents twice: once from Santa and once from the wise men! In fact, most children get better presents from the wise men, with Santa Claus only bringing a small token or candy. That’s why most children in Spain actually prefer celebrating el Día de Reyes over Christmas!

On January 6th, most people will share a Roscón de Reyes (King’s Ring), which is a brioche-style sweet bread with dried and candied fruit. It’s often stuffed with cream and covered in sugar for extra flavor. Yum!

Mexico

Mexico has different traditions regarding this holiday, with some children receiving some gifts from the wise men and others receiving all of their gifts from Santa Claus. One thing that is universal, though, is the tradition of eating a Rosca de Reyes. It’s very similar to the Roscón de Reyes in Spain, with one twist: there’s a figurine of baby Jesus hidden in the bread.

People will gather around at home, school, or the office and take turns to cut a piece of the rosca . Whoever cuts into baby Jesus will get to keep the figurine, which is often referred to as el monito. The one who finds el monito will earn the privilege of treating everyone to tamales and atole, which is a corn-based warm beverage typically drank during the holidays.

Argentina

Children in Argentina will leave their shoes by the nascimento the night before January 6th in anticipation of some presents. They will also leave some food and water out for the wise men as and their camels. On January 6th, families will get together for a meal and some Rosca de Reyes.

Peru

Unlike other countries, Perú refers tot his holiday as la Bajada de Reyes , which means the descent of the kings. Families tend to get together to enjoy a family meal and then spend time together taking down the Christmas decorations.

Puerto Rico

This holiday is called las Promesas de los Reyes (the kings’ promises) in Puerto Rico. The nigh before, children go out and cut up some grass so they can leave it overnight for the wise men’s camels to eat. In return, the wise men will leave presents for the children.

Cuba

This holiday has a special meaning in Cuba, where it’s referred to as la Pascua de los Negros y Día de San Baltazar (the Easter of Black people and the Day of Saint Balthazaar). It commemorates the day off slaves used to have back in the colonial era, when many of them went out into the streets to dance and celebrate. This holiday is celebrated in several countries in Latin America, including the Dominican Republic, Paraguay, Chile, Puerto Rico, and Uruguay.

How to say Happy Holidays in Spanish

Although many people consider Christmas to be less of a religious celebration and more of a cultural holiday, its religious elements could understandably make some people uncomfortable. If you wish to send someone your best holiday wishes without bringing in the religious element, here are 11 inclusive ways of wishing someone happy holidays in Spanish:

Happy Holiday quotes in Spanish

Holidays are special all over the world, and some of history’s greatest thinkers have come up with some very insightful quotes about them. Here are some thought-provoking thoughts from writers, politicians, and actors that you can include in your holiday cards this season.

How to write a heartfelt and perfectly worded Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays message in Spanish

Sending a heartfelt Merry Christmas message is one of the best ways to make an excellent impression on your loved ones during the holidays. If you already know how to write a letter in Spanish , then you can employ some of those tactics to write a full letter that encompasses everything you want to share over the holidays.

If you’re still in the beginner Spanish or perhaps early intermediate Spanish levels, then there’s no shame in writing a shorter Christmas message that gets right to the point. The following messages are all brief and festive. Some of them are witty, and some of them are emotional. Feel free to pick the one you like best, put your best penmanship forward, and write it down on a cute Christmas card. Your loved ones are sure to feel the love from you this season!

Enjoy the holiday season with your favorite Spanish speakers

Christmas time is meant to be enjoyed with your loved ones, no matter where you are. If you find yourself in a Spanish-speaking country this Christmas or want to share your love and appreciation with your Spanish-speaking friends, then learning some of these festive ways to say Merry Christmas in Spanish is a great place to start.

For more cultural and grammatical Spanish content, check out our Spanish blog . We regularly publish thematic guides like this one, as well as vocabulary and grammar guides to help you level up your Spanish.