Mexico’s birthday song

It takes the occasion of a birthday for most people who are not familiar with Mexico to come across Las Mañanitas—Mexico’s birthday song. Most people who hear it are immediately struck by its captive tune and the gentle rhythm of the words. You can hear Las Mañanitas sung at birthday parties in homes, at schools, in restaurants—even in the street.

The song is strongly associated with Mariachis, who are traditionally commissioned by family or friends to arrive outside the home of the person celebrating a birth-day and serenade them at daybreak, waking them from their slumber to celebrate their special day. If you’re in Mexico and hear Las Mañanitas being played at 5 a.m. you’ll know a neighbor is celebrating another happy return of the day.

The song is also widely heard on Mother’s Day. With its strong matriarchal culture, Mother’s Day is one of the most important dates on the annual calendar in Mexico, and Las Mañanitas is consistent in its appointment as the serenade of choice for the occasion.

To accompany the memorable tune, Las Mananitas also offers some well-woven and at times moving lyrics, far removed from those of the blithe “Happy Birthday Song,” and perhaps that’s why so many English speakers latch on to Las Mañanitas when they hear it.

The traditional song has many verses, and on most occasions only the first two or three are recited —and not necessarily in the order as written— although invariably, the first verse never alters.

Through the years, contemporary Mexican musicians have recorded popular versions of Las Mañanitas, the most famous at present is perhaps the highly-celebrated voice and sound of Vicente Fernandez, and while YouTube lets you hear it, only a live rendition can really capture the emotion and feelings which accompany yet another Mexican cultural accomplishment: a birthday song worth singing.

Lyrics to Las Mañanitas, Mexico’s birthday song

Estas son las mañanitas que cantaba el rey David
hoy por ser día de tu santo, te las cantamos aquí.

Despierta, mi bien despierta, mira que ya amaneció
ya los pajaritos cantan, la luna ya se metió.

Qué linda está la mañana en que vengo a saludarte
venimos todos con gusto y placer a felicitarte.

El día en que tú naciste, nacieron todas las flores
y en la pila del bautismo cantaron los ruiseñores.

Ya viene amaneciendo ya la luz del día nos dio
levantate de mañana, mira que ya amaneció.

Si yo pudiera bajarte las estrellas y un lucero
para poder demostrarte lo mucho que yo te quiero.

Con jazmines y flores este día quiero adornar
hoy por ser día de tu santo te venimos a cantar.

Listen to a popular rendition of the song

Mexico’s birthday song sung by Vicente Fernandez

It isn’t moved to the nearest Sunday like Father’s Day, or Mother’s Day in other countries: when it falls on a week day, so be it. Working mothers are given the day off, some people leave early for family gatherings, and any employer who refuses to allow this without good reason may be said to “not have a mother.”

Which brings this entry to its point: the widespread use of the word madre in expressions whose English equivalents have nothing to do with matriarchal figures.

When it’s said of a person, “no tiene madre,” it means they are shameless or unscrupulous. It can also be applied to things that are disgraceful or simply unfair. A variation is “¡qué poca madre!” which amounts to the same thing.

These two expressions, however, can also mean something quite different, in fact something quite positive:

“Este juego de video no tiene madre” means the video game is very good—extraordinary, in fact; a football team that played “de poca madre“ played extremely well; and a great party can also be said to have been “de poca madre.”

A car that whizzes past at breakneck speed “va hecho la madre,” although “va hecho la raya” means the same thing and is more fitting in polite company.

Hasta la madre is a versatile expression that suggests testing limits in a variety of ways. Its basic meaning is fed-up, or sick-and-tired. “Estoy hasta la madre del tráfico,” or the more personal and unpleasant “me tienes hasta la madre.”

Someone who is very drunk can be described as being “hasta la madre” with alcohol, and a bus that is so crammed-full with passengers that they are hanging out of the doors is also packed “hasta la madre.”

“Hasta el gorro” — literally “up to the cap” — is a valid alternative.

In Spanish “mentar la madre” means to insult — literally “mention or refer to the mother,” even if the recipient’s mother or mother-child relationship isn’t alluded to.

Threats to visit bodily harm on a person can be expressed as “te voy a romper la madre” or “dar en la madre” which make as little sense, literally considered, as some of their English equivalents. And if you run headlong into a brick wall or fall off a bike, a bystander may observe that someone “se dio en la madre.”

A standalone expression of surprise or shock, “¡en la madre!” can be elicited from someone observing an accident or disastrous event.

But the real Mexican classic is “me vale madre” — “I don’t give a damn” — used widely across classes and  immortalized by the illustration of late cartoonist Rogelio Naranjo. This mother of all expressions even has its own noun form: someone in Mexico who habitually couldn’t care less is known as a “valemadrista.”

Statutory holidays are legislated at a Federal level and dates given as a holiday by statute are termed locally as “Dias Feriados.” There are currently ten statutory holidays in Mexico, as well as a range of civic holidays and regional/national festivities.

See also: When to visit Mexico: Seasons and Events

Statutory Public Holiday dates in Mexico

Statutory holidays are dates decreed as national holidays for all workers in Mexico. There are currently ten statutory holiday dates in Mexico, as follows:

January 1

Año Nuevo. New Year’s Day. Banks, offices and factories remain closed.

February 5

Dia de la Constitucion. This day celebrates the promulgation of the country’s 1917 Constitution The date is observed on the first Monday in February.
See also: Long weekend holidays in Mexico

March 21

Cumpleaños de Benito Juarez. The birth date of Benito Juarez, Mexico’s first and most revered President, is celebrated with a public holiday. The date is observed on the nearest Monday to his birth date every March.
See also: Long weekend holidays in Mexico and Benito Juarez
See also: Benito Juarez

March/April:

Semana de Pascua. Easter week holidays vary depending on each year: consult your calendar for details. In Mexico, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday are designated public holidays.
See also: Easter in Mexico

May 1:

Dia del Trabajo. Mexico, like many other industrialized countries, Mexico celebrates Labor Day on May 1 every year, commemorating the advent of workers’ unions. All banks and offices close, but most shopping centers remain open for business.

September 16

Dia de la Independencia. This date commemorates the date when Father Miguel Hidalgo made his ‘cry for independence’ on September 16, 1810 in the town of Dolores Hidalgo — an event that ultimately led to Mexico’s independence from Spanish rule. Independence celebrations take place on the evening of September 15; September 16 is a public holiday.
See also: Independence Day in Mexico

November 2

Dia de los Fieles Difuntos. Mexico’s “Day of the Dead”, celebrations take place over 2 days (November 1st and 2nd) and contemporarily, October 31 is often included, taking-in Halloween. Mexico’s banks and businesses close on November 2, to observe this important religious holiday in Mexico.
See also: Day of the Dead in Mexico

November 20

Dia de la Revolucion. November 20 commemorates the start date of Mexico’s 1910 revolution, led by Francisco I. Madero. The date is observed on the third Monday in November.
See also: Mexican Revolution and Long weekend holidays in Mexico

December 1 (presidential election year)

Transmision del Poder Ejecutivo Federal. Mexico’s Federal Government and Presidency returns for re-election every six years. On the date of transition, which is December 1 every six years, Mexico observes a public holiday.
See also: Mexican Politics

December 25

Dia de Navidad. Christmas Day is observed with a public holiday in Mexico.
See also: Christmas in Mexico

[Return to Menu]

Civic holidays in Mexico

In addition to the national holidays decreed by statute, Mexico observes a number of other Civic Holidays. These are not holidays although some states and municipalities may observe them and offer workers time off in their locale.

February 19

Dia del Ejercito. Army Day, also known as Dia de la Lealtad (Day of Loyalty), commemorates the day when President Madero was escorted to the National Palace by cadets of the nation’s military college.

February 24

Dia de la Bandera. Flag Day was introduced by President Lazaro Cardenas, a man best known for having nationalized Mexican oil reserves in the 1930’s. The day commemorates Mexico’s current flag as well as previous ones. Schools often get children to undertake flag research projects for presentation on this day.

March 18

Anniversario de la Expropriacion Petrolera. This day commemorates the day in 1938 when President Lazaro Cardenas expropriated all oil reserves and declared oil a strategic Mexican national asset.

April 21

Heroica Defensa de Veracruz. The Heroic Defense of Veracruz commemorates the defense of Veracruz in 1914 when the port city was sieged the by the USA.
See also: Guide to Veracruz

May 5

Batalla de Puebla. The Battle of Puebla, or more commonly referred to as simply Cinco de Mayo, is observed as a public holiday in the state of Puebla, but nowhere else in Mexico. The date commemorates the victory of a small Mexican army against a French army double the size on May 5, 1862. The French re-took the city a year later and soon after installed Emperor Maximilian in 1864. The date is far more widely celebrated by people in the USA than in Mexico itself; possibly due to beer and liquor companies aligning themselves with the date as part of their US marketing. The date is sometimes mistakenly associated with Mexico’s Independence, which is September 16.
See also: Cinco de Mayo in Mexico

May 8

Cumpleaños de Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla. Miguel Hidalgo is known as the “Father of Mexican Independence.” Although he and his conspirators were captured and executed by the Spanish for their insurgency against the Spanish Crown, his movement gave inspiration and created a political vacuum that eventually led to Mexico’s independence from Spain and, alongside Ignacio Allende and Jose Maria Morelos, is a revered personality in Mexico’s independence history.
See also: Mexico’s History

June 1

Dia de la Marina. Mexico’s Navy Day, acknowledging the nation’s maritime service men and women. The day is commemorated with various military parades.

September 13

Dia de los Niños Heroes. “Boy Heroes” (or Cadet Heroes); this day commemorates the events which took place at the Battle of Chapultepec, in modern-day Mexico City. The battle, which took place during the Mexican-American war in 1847, gave victory to US troops over Mexican forces defending Chapultepec Castle. According to military records, six cadets refused to fall back as the superior US forces moved to take the castle; choosing to fight to the death; the last of the six is said to have wrapped himself in a flag and jumped from the castle point. The event is also commemorated in a permanent monument of six pillars, which stands at the foot of the castle near the capital’s principal boulevard, Paseo de la Reforma.

September 27

Consumacion de la Independencia. Consummation of Independence; this date marks the end of the War of Independence, eleven years after Miguel Hidalgo’s ‘cry for independence’.

September 30

Cumpleaños de Jose Maria Morelos y Pavon. Birth date of Jose Maria Morelos, a general in the armed struggle for independence who took up leadership of the rebellion following the execution of Miguel Hidalgo. Jose Maria Morelos was captured and executed by the Spanish for treason in 1815. Following the execution his Lieutenant, Vicente Guerrero, continued the armed struggle against the Spaniards for Mexican independence. The city of Valladolid was later renamed in his honor to present-day Morelia.
See also: Guide to Morelia.

October 12

Dia de La Raza. Columbus Day; commemorates the Discovery of the New World by the Italian navigator, Christopher Columbus.

[Return to Menu]

Principal festivity dates in Mexico

These festivities are generally observed in modern-day Mexican culture, but they are not statutory or civic holidays in Mexico.

January 6

Epiphany, also known in Spanish as Dia de los Reyes Magos. In previous generations it was on this day that children received their holiday gifts; today, children receive their gifts at Christmas and sometimes an additional gift on this date. It’s also the date when Rosca de Reyes is taken, a sweet bread inside which is hidden a plastic doll. If your slice contains the doll, you host a party at your home on February 2, Candles mass, and serve Mexican corn tamales.

February 2

Dia de la Candelaria – Candle mass. This is the date when tamales, flavored (sweet or sour) corn paste wrapped in corn leaves and steamed, are eaten. If your slice of Rosca de Reyes contained the plastic doll, traditionally you serve tamales at a house party on this date.

February 14

Not traditionally a Mexican holiday, but with the Anglo-American influence February 14th is celebrated as Valentines Day — Dia del Amor y la Amistad — particularly in more urbanized places across the country.

April 30

Dia del Niño — Children’s Day is widely observed in Mexico. It’s not a holiday but children receive gifts from family members on this day.

May 10

Dia de las Madres — Mother’s Day is an important cultural date in Mexico, as the country has a strong matriarchal culture. Families take their mothers and grandmothers out to lunch. Restaurants are very busy on this date.

May 15

Dia del Maestro — Teacher’s Day, traditionally school-age children will take their home room teacher a small gift.

Third Sunday in June

Dia del Padre – Father’s day in Mexico. Children will buy a gift for their father and some families take their fathers out to lunch. Restaurants are very busy on this date.

November 1 & 2

Dia de los Muertos, also Dia de los Fieles Difuntos: All Saints Day and All Souls Day. One of the most important religious holidays in Mexico. November 1 is not a public holiday but November 2 is. Halloween (October 31) is often tied-in with the festivities these days.
See also: Celebrating Life on Day of the Dead in Mexico

December 12

Dia de la Virgen Guadalupe – Not a public holiday but an important religious holiday in Mexico.
See also: The Virgin Guadalupe and Juan Diego

December 16-24

Posadas Navideñas – Christmas processions begin on the 16th and run until Christmas Eve on December 24.
See also: Posadas Navideñas

December 24 & 25

Noche Buena (Christmas Eve) and Dia de Navidad (Christmas Day). Traditionally, Mexicans take their main Christmas meal and open presents on the evening of the 24th. Some families have taken up the Anglo-American tradition of eating on the 25th. The 25th is a public holiday, but the 24th is a normal working day in Mexico.
See also: Christmas in Mexico

December 28

Dia de los Santos Innocentes — Day of the Innocent Saints. This is a day when Mexicans traditionally play practical jokes on each other, similar to April Fool’s day in the Anglo traditions.

December 31

New Year’s Eve. New Year’s eve is a traditionally a family affair in Mexico, although the squares of main towns and cities will fill up with revelers celebrating the New Year.
See also: New Year Celebrations in Mexico

When to visit Mexico

Mexico offers visitors and foreign residents year-round opportunities to enjoy the climate, culture, and events taking place here. For details about seasons and events see the article about when to visit Mexico