Spanish holiday vocabulary ties together dates, wishes, and traditions, so you can write cards, plan trips, and toast with the right words.
Holidays are where Spanish feels close and human. One small word can shift the tone from formal to warm, from a quick text to something you’d sign in ink. If you’ve ever paused at a blank card, typed and deleted the same line three times, or tried to order a holiday treat with confidence, this list will help.
You’ll get the core words that show up again and again, the names of common holidays across Spanish-speaking places, and ready-to-send lines you can reuse. You’ll also get a clean set of spelling notes, since holiday names can trip people up.
Holiday Words in Spanish For Cards And Messages
Start with a handful of words that work year-round. Once you know these, you can plug in the holiday name and sound natural.
Core Words That Fit Any Holiday
La fiesta means a party, and it can also mean a festive day. You’ll see it in event titles: fiesta de fin de año (end-of-year party).
El festivo means a public holiday or non-working day. It shows up on calendars and travel pages: día festivo (public holiday), calendario de festivos (holiday calendar).
El feriado is common in Latin America for a public holiday. In Spain you’ll hear festivo more often. Both are useful.
El día libre is a day off, often personal, not official. People also say pedir el día libre (ask for a day off).
La víspera is the eve of a holiday. It pairs well with dates: la víspera de Año Nuevo.
El puente is a long weekend created by taking one workday off between a holiday and the weekend. If you hear hacer puente, they’re stretching the break.
Las vacaciones are vacations, often school breaks or longer travel. A shorter break can be un descanso.
Words For Holiday Wishes
Felicidades is the flexible one. It works for birthdays, holidays, and good news. If you’re unsure, it’s a safe pick.
¡Feliz…! is the classic starter: ¡Feliz Navidad!, ¡Feliz Año Nuevo!. For the whole season, many people say Felices fiestas.
Te deseo… means “I wish you…” and sounds thoughtful: Te deseo un año lleno de salud (I wish you a year full of health).
Que tengas… means “May you have…” and sounds friendly: Que tengas un buen descanso.
Un abrazo and un beso are common sign-offs in messages, even in short texts. Use them when your relationship fits.
Holiday Names You’ll See On Calendars
Holiday names vary by country and city, yet many are shared across the Spanish-speaking world. Here are the ones you’ll run into most, plus the words that often show up around them.
Christmas Season Words
Navidad is Christmas. It can mean the day itself or the wider season in casual speech. If you want a solid spelling note, the RAE entry “Navidad” in the Diccionario panhispánico de dudas explains common uses, including when lowercase makes sense for the season sense and why plural navidades is also common in that meaning.
Nochebuena is Christmas Eve. In many places it’s the big family meal night. You’ll hear la cena de Nochebuena for the Christmas Eve dinner.
Villancicos are Christmas carols. El árbol de Navidad is the Christmas tree. El belén can mean a nativity scene in Spain.
New Year Words
Año Nuevo is New Year’s Day. Nochevieja is New Year’s Eve. Fin de año is “end of the year,” often used for parties and event posters.
If you hear las uvas in Spain around New Year’s, that’s the tradition of eating grapes at midnight. On invitations you may see campanadas (the midnight chimes).
Three Kings And Gift Day Words
Los Reyes Magos are the Three Wise Men. El Día de Reyes (January 6) is a major gift day in many places. Kids may write la carta a los Reyes (the letter to the Kings). A common treat is roscón de Reyes in Spain or rosca de Reyes in Mexico.
Easter Week Words
Semana Santa is Holy Week. It’s a religious season and also a big travel break in many countries. You’ll see Jueves Santo and Viernes Santo on calendars for the Thursday and Friday dates.
Spelling And Capital Letters That Keep You Out Of Trouble
Holiday vocabulary is easy to learn, yet spelling choices can make you second-guess yourself. Here are practical rules that match how Spanish is written in real life.
Holiday names often use an initial capital letter when they act as the name of the holiday. Fundéu has a clear write-up on this point in “Los nombres de las festividades se escriben con mayúscula”, with examples like Navidad, Año Nuevo, and Reyes.
If you’re writing about the season sense in general, you may see lowercase in some cases, especially when the word acts more like a common noun. Fundéu’s seasonal writing tips in “Navidad: claves para una buena redacción” give real newsroom-style examples that make this feel less abstract.
Accent marks matter in holiday words. Año and víspera need accents. If you skip accents in casual texting, people still get you, yet in a card or email, accents show care.
Spanish exclamation marks come in pairs: ¡Feliz Navidad!. Many people skip the opening mark in fast chat, yet using both looks polished in a note or card.
When you write dates, Spanish usually uses day then month: 25 de diciembre. If you mention weekdays, add el: el lunes, el viernes.
| Spanish Word Or Phrase | English Meaning | Use Note |
|---|---|---|
| felices fiestas | happy holidays | Works for the full season, safe default. |
| feliz Navidad | merry Christmas | Best near Dec 24–25. |
| feliz Año Nuevo | happy new year | Works late Dec through early Jan. |
| próspero año | prosperous year | Often used in formal cards: próspero Año Nuevo. |
| fin de año | year end | Common for parties and events. |
| Nochebuena | Christmas Eve | Often the main family meal night. |
| Nochevieja | New Year’s Eve | Pairs with campanadas in Spain. |
| puente | long weekend | Used when a holiday links to a weekend. |
| día festivo | public holiday | Common in Spain and on official calendars. |
| feriado | public holiday | Common in much of Latin America. |
| brindis | toast | Nice for messages tied to a meal. |
| Reyes Magos | Three Wise Men | Gift day tied to Jan 6 in many places. |
Season Words That Make Your Spanish Sound Natural
Holiday talk isn’t only the holiday name. People mention the break, the plans, and who they’ll see. A few flexible words help your Spanish sound easy.
Time And Plan Vocabulary
La temporada is the season, like temporada navideña. Este año is this year, el próximo año is next year, and la víspera is the eve. For plans, use la reunión (get-together), la visita (visit), and la familia (family).
How To Write Holiday Wishes Without Sounding Stiff
Spanish has a wide range between formal and close. Pick a register that matches the relationship, then keep the sentence simple. Short lines land well.
Friendly Lines For Friends And Family
- ¡Felices fiestas! Works for the whole season.
- ¡Feliz Navidad! Best right around December 25.
- ¡Feliz Año Nuevo! Use late December through early January.
- Te mando un abrazo. Warm sign-off.
- Que la pases bonito. Relaxed way to say “have a nice time.”
Polite Lines For Work And Formal Notes
- Le deseo felices fiestas. Formal, safe for emails.
- Que tenga un buen fin de año. Fits business relationships.
- Mis mejores deseos para el año que empieza. Polished and warm.
- Un cordial saludo. Neutral closing line in letters.
Small Details That Improve Your Writing
If you’re writing a longer card, add one personal line after the holiday wish. Keep it plain and real. A simple note about health, rest, or time with family reads well in Spanish.
Try a two-part structure: one holiday line, then one wish line. It feels complete without being long.
| Occasion | Spanish Line | When It Fits |
|---|---|---|
| General season | Felices fiestas. Que descanses y disfrutes. | Works when you don’t know the exact holiday. |
| Christmas | Feliz Navidad. Un abrazo grande para ti y los tuyos. | Good for close friends or family. |
| New Year | Feliz Año Nuevo. Te deseo salud y alegría en el año que viene. | Friendly, warm, not overly formal. |
| Work email | Le deseo felices fiestas y un buen inicio de año. | Polite note to clients or coworkers. |
| Text to a friend | ¡Felices fiestas! ¿Nos vemos esta semana? | Casual message with a plan. |
| Host message | Gracias por venir. ¡Qué alegría tenerte aquí! | After a meal or party. |
| Thank-you card | Gracias por tu regalo. Me hizo mucha ilusión. | Short, sweet follow-up line. |
| Three Kings | Feliz Día de Reyes. Que tengas un día bonito. | Fits countries where Jan 6 is a big day. |
A Simple Checklist Before You Hit Send
This is the quick clean-up that keeps your message looking natural in Spanish.
- Pick the holiday:Navidad, Año Nuevo, Reyes, or the safer fiestas.
- Add one wish line: start with Te deseo… or Que tengas….
- Check accents:Año, víspera, próspero.
- Use both exclamation marks in a card: ¡Feliz Navidad!
- End clean:Un abrazo for close ties, Un cordial saludo for formal notes.
If you keep these building blocks handy, you won’t need to hunt for a perfect line each time a holiday comes up. You’ll have the words, the tone, and the little spelling details already handled.
References & Sources
- RAE – ASALE.“Navidad (Diccionario panhispánico de dudas).”Explains meanings and capitalization choices, including the season sense and plural use.
- FundéuRAE.“Los nombres de las festividades se escriben con mayúscula.”Gives spelling guidance for holiday names with clear examples.
- FundéuRAE.“Navidad: claves para una buena redacción.”Offers practical writing tips for common holiday terms and how they appear in real text.
- Real Academia Española (RAE).“navidad (Diccionario de la lengua española).”Provides dictionary definitions and usage notes for the term.