José Feliciano – "Feliz Navidad” Chords & Guitar Lesson

Behold… 

Here’s one of the most played and most recognizable Christmas songs of all time.

It sounds festive and laid back all at once. 

The blend of Spanish and English has made it a unique crossover tune that comes back year after year.  

Below, I’m going to share with you some insider tips on the guitar style behind it.

So grab your axe, and let’s dive into this “Feliz Navidad” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Feliz Navidad?

“Feliz Navidad” was originally written by Puerto Rican musician José Feliciano. He wrote it as almost a throwaway idea, thinking it might resonate with fellow Puerto Ricans and Latin listeners. 

From there, it grew a life of its own.

“Feliz Navidad” was released in 1970 on Feliciano’s Christmas album of the same name. At this time, he was living and working primarily in New York and Los Angeles. Instead of crafting something elaborate, he intentionally kept the lyrics simple and to the point, repeating a bilingual message that could be understood by almost anyone: “Feliz Navidad, próspero año y felicidad,” followed by “I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas from the bottom of my heart.”

The song doesn’t have any narrative twists or deep meanings to uncover. It’s pure goodwill and has resonated with audiences around the world. By blending Spanish and English, Feliciano created one of the earliest mainstream Christmas songs to comfortably bridge Latin and Anglo cultures, especially in American pop music. 

“Feliz Navidad” was recorded in Los Angeles, with Feliciano playing a lot of the instruments himself, including acoustic guitar and bass. Feliciano wanted the song to feel like something that could be sung anywhere—at home, at a party, or on the street—without needing a full orchestra or choir. 

This tune has become one of the most played and recognizable Christmas songs of all time. However, it didn’t initially chart as a major pop hit. But over time, it has re-entered Billboard’s Holiday charts repeatedly and is now a perennial seasonal staple. 

Now, you may be wondering…

What is the tuning for Feliz Navidad?

The tuning for "Feliz Navidad” is standard tuning. Feliciano kept things simple. Standard tuning is spelled: E, A, D, G, B, and E. 

Here are the strings:

• E (6th string, lowest pitch)
• A (5th string)
• D (4th string)
• G (3rd string)
• B (2nd string)
• E (1st string, highest pitch)

All right! 

Now that you know the tuning for “Feliz Navidad,” let’s next talk about…

Feliz Navidad Chords

To play “Feliz Navidad”, you only need to know 4 main chords they are D, G, A, and Bm. These chords are going to be a mix of open chords and bar chords. 

If bar chords are giving you all kinds of aches and pains, and you haven’t yet discovered how to play them effortlessly, go here: https://www.jonmaclennan.com/barchords

Let’s take a look at a few ways these shapes might show up on the fretboard.

D is played in a standard (campfire) style from the 4th string down like this:

G is played using all 6 strings like so:

A is another very common open chord. This one is played from the 5th string down like this:

Finally, Bm is played as a bar chord in 2nd position and from the 5th string down like so:

If you’ve struggled to understand the fretboard for RHYTHM and LEAD guitar, and want to discover the easiest and fastest way. Then get your hands on my free Fretboard Guide PDF right here now:  

Is Feliz Navidad hard to play on guitar?

I would say playing “Feliz Navidad” on guitar is going to require an intermediate skill level. The trickiest parts are playing solid rhythm with a good backbeat feel. (This is essential to capturing what’s on the recording) And, the one bar chord. Putting these two things together, start to push it into intermediate land. So, take your time with this one. 

What key is Feliz Navidad in?

“Feliz Navidad”, as recorded by José Feliciano, is in the key of D major. The primary scale would be the D major scale, which is built using the notes D, E, F#, G, A, B, and C#.

Let’s take a closer look at how all these chords relate in the key of D major. Starting with…

D (D major)

Notes: D, F♯, A

Function: This is the I chord (tonic) in D major. It’s the “home” chord. Everything else in the progression revolves around this tonal center.

G (G major)

Notes: G, B, D

Function: G is the IV chord (subdominant) in D major. It’s used for movement away from the tonic and often sets up a return to D (I) or moves toward the dominant (A). It’s a great way to add stable change without leaving the key.

A (A major)

Notes: A, C♯, E

Function: A is the V chord (dominant) in D major. A creates tension that naturally wants to resolve back to the tonic D. This chord dominates the key.

Bm (B minor)

Notes: B, D, F♯

Function: Bm is the vi chord (relative minor) in D major. It shares two notes with the tonic (D and F♯), giving it a smooth, melancholic contrast. It can act as a bridge between other chords and adds emotional depth while still staying in the key.

Together, these chords make up some of the most common sets of chords in popular music.

Millions of songs use them…

All right!

That’s my theory breakdown. 

Next, let’s look at…

What is the strumming pattern for Feliz Navidad?

The main underlying groove for “Feliz Navidad” is a backbeat 8th note groove. The primary rhythm strummed throughout is an 8th note rhythm. In 4/4 time, 8th notes divide each beat into two equal parts, creating a driving, steady flow like this:

1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

The numbers (1, 2, 3, 4) represent the main beats in the measure, while the "&" represents the offbeats that add energy and momentum.

When counted out loud, it sounds like:

"One-and, Two-and, Three-and, Four-and." 

Here’s an example of a strumming pattern in the style of “Feliz Navidad”:

Conclusion

Bottom line, “Feliz Navidad” is a feel-good holiday tune that’s a lot of fun to play. 

Keep practicing, and if you want to learn songs way faster, better understand the fretboard for lead and rhythm, and not waste years spinning your wheels with guitar, grab my free fretboard guide here right now: 

Jon MacLennan