Las Mañanitas facts for kids
"Las Mañanitas" is a very famous traditional Mexican birthday song. It was written by a Mexican composer named Alfonso Esparza Oteo.
This song is super popular in Mexico and many other Latin American countries. People often sing it at birthday parties. Sometimes, they sing it early in the morning to wake up the person celebrating their birthday! It's also sung before cutting the cake. In Mexico, "Las Mañanitas" is sung for everyone, no matter their age or gender. But in some countries, like Colombia, it's mostly sung for girls, especially on their special 15th birthdays.
One of the most famous times "Las Mañanitas" was sung was in the movie Nosotros los pobres. The famous singer Pedro Infante sang it to a character named "Chachita" (played by Evita Muñoz).
Contents
The Song's Words
Here are the words to "Las Mañanitas" in both Spanish and English:
| Spanish original | English translation |
|---|---|
|
Estas son las mañanitas |
These are “The Mornings” |
When people sing "Las Mañanitas" live, they often replace "mi bien" (which means "my dear") with the birthday person's actual name. For example, they might sing "Despierta Jacob, despierta." If a name is short, like "Jacob," they might stretch it out to fit the music. If a name is long, like "Guadalupe," they might blend the syllables together so it fits the song's rhythm.
Sometimes, the second line of the first part of the song is changed. Instead of "hoy por ser día de tu santo, te las cantamos a ti" (Today because it's your birthday, we sing them to you), people might sing "... a las muchachas bonitas se las cantamos aquí" (... to the pretty girls we sing them here). This change is sometimes used when singing to girls. Long ago, it was common to name a child after a patron saint whose special day was the same as the child's birthday.
Celebrations in Mexico
Every year, on the night between December 11 and 12, "Las Mañanitas" is sung in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe. This happens at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico. Mexico's most famous and popular artists come together to sing this special song.
Celebrations in the United States
New Mexico
In the US state of New Mexico, "Las Mañanitas" is sometimes sung as an honorary song during birthday parties. It is sung for both men and women. For example, it was sung during a live concert for singer Al Hurricane's 75th birthday. His son, Al Hurricane Jr., and Christian Sanchez recorded a version of it along with the English song "Happy Birthday to You."
Puerto Rico
"Las Mañanitas" is also an annual event held in Ponce, Puerto Rico. This celebration is also dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe. It starts very early in the morning, before dawn, with a special parade. After the parade, there is a Catholic Mass. Then, everyone enjoys a free breakfast together.
This celebration began in 1964. No one is completely sure how it started. Some people say Mexican engineers who moved there began it. Others believe it was started by people from Extremadura, Spain. Over 10,000 people attend this early morning event, including important leaders like mayors. The city of Ponce gives a free breakfast to everyone at the historic Ponce City Hall after the religious Mass ends.
See also
In Spanish: Las mañanitas para niños
