One Of The World’s Biggest Christmas Songs Has Ties To SWFL

"Feliz Navidad" is one of the world's biggest Christmas songs and did you know it has ties to SWFL?

Even if you don't speak Spanish, everyone knows the words to "Feliz Navidad" and Jose Feliciano's recording of the song is one of the most popular and enduring Christmas songs of all time. The simplicity of the song, combined with Feliciano's soulful vocals, has made it a holiday favorite for generations.

Born in Puerto Rico, Feliciano moved to New York City as a child, but lived for a time in Lehigh Acres as well and still has family in SWFL today. In fact, back in 2010, Feliciano called the police after getting harassing phone calls to his home.

"Feliz Navidad" has only contains three chords, and the lyrics are just 19 words- 6 in Spanish and 13 in English. Feliciano said he wrote the song in just 10 minutes. But despite its simplicity, the song has a powerful message of goodwill and peace that continues to resonate with people all over the world.

75 year-old Feliciano recently told NBC's Today show: “For some reason, this little song has united everyone. Nobody can get angry that you made them sing ‘Feliz Navidad’ because it's in Spanish. Nobody can get angry because you made them sing the English part. I wanted to wish you a merry Christmas. And I think it's wonderful.”

The song was released in 1970 and quickly became a surprise hit after performing on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. It quickly rose to the top of the Billboard Easy Listening chart. The song has since been covered by numerous artists, including Pentatonix, Christina Aguilera, Mariah Carey and Celine Dion. It has also been featured in several films and television shows, including Elf and How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

In addition to his musical career, Feliciano is also a successful painter and supports various charitable causes. He was inducted into the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2012 and the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2018.

The holiday season is here and if you're not in the mood to cook this year, you may be wondering if there are any restaurants open on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day in SWFL. The answer is YES!

For many, Christmas is a time to gather with family and friends, share a meal, and exchange presents. But what do you do if you don’t want to cook? Fortunately, there are plenty of places where you can enjoy a delicious meal and someone else will even do the dishes.

With Christmas Eve landing on a Saturday this year, the main issue you'll run into are long lines or limited available reservations. With Christmas on a Sunday, some of these places are normally closed and will be, but some will open for special for the holiday.

According to News-Press, many places will feature special holiday menus or discounts. You may see different holiday hours or have to make reservations, so be sure to check before you head out. The list below is just local SWFL restaurants and some of the larger chains, but there are many fast-food restaurants open as well.

Merry Christmas!

Doors open at 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 24 and 25

Open Dec. 24 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Open Dec. 24 from noon-9 p.m. On Dec. 25, doors open at 4 p.m. 

Open Christmas Eve 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m. for lunch; dinner from 5-9 p.m.

Ella Mae's open Dec. 25 from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Silver King Open Dec. 25 from 2-8 p.m.

Open noon-7 p.m.

Breakfast and lunch from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Christmas Eve dinner starts at 4:30 p.m.

Lunch runs 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; Christmas Eve dinner starts at 3 p.m.

Open Christmas Eve. Open Christmas Day 11 a.m.- 9 p.m.

Open Dec. 24 from 11 a.m. -10 p.m.

Open Christmas Eve

Open Christmas Eve until 2 p.m.

Open Christmas Eve

Open Christmas Eve until 8 p.m.

Biggest Christmas Songs SWFL