Mariachi Lyrics Archive
12 Días De Muertos
The skeleton gives twelve gifts, one day at a time. 12 Días De Muertos turns the Día de los Muertos ofrenda into the most joyful countdown you'll ever sing.
About the Song
12 Días De Muertos is a joyful cumulative song modeled on the classic "12 Days of Christmas" structure, reimagined for Día de los Muertos. It transforms the sacred offerings of the ofrenda — papel picado, marigolds, catrinas, pan de muerto, alebrijes — into a playful, cumulative countdown. The song belongs to the modern Mexican holiday music tradition that celebrates Día de los Muertos with child-friendly energy, making the ancient ritual of honoring the dead accessible and festive. Each gift named is a real element of traditional ofrenda construction.
Meaning of the Song
12 Días De Muertos is a song that teaches while it plays. By the twelfth verse you've memorized every offering on a Día de los Muertos altar without realizing you were learning anything at all. The calaca — the skeleton — gives generously, one beautiful thing at a time, until the whole tradition is stacked in your memory like flowers on an ofrenda. This is how culture passes itself down: not through lectures, but through songs that make you want to count along.
Lyrics / Letra
En el primer dia de muertos la calaca regalo
1 tira de papel picado
En el segundo dia de muertos la calaca regalo
2 velitas y 1 tira de papel picado
En el tercer dia de muertos la calaca regalo
3 catrinitas, 2 velitas y 1 tira de papel picado
En el cuarto dia de muertos la calaca regalo
4 crucecitas, 3 catrinitas, 2 velitas y 1 tira de papel picado
En el quinto dia de muertos la calaca regalo
5 cempásuchiles, 4 crucecitas, 3 catrinitas, 2 velitas y 1 tira de papel picado
En el sexto dia de muertos la calaca regalo : 6 fotografías, 5 cempásuchiles, 4 crucecitas, 3 catrinitas, 2 velitas y 1 tira de papel picado
En el séptimo dia de muertos la calaca regalo
7 calaveras, 6 fotografías, 5 cempásuchiles, 4 crucecitas, 3 catrinitas, 2 velitas y 1 tira de papel picado
En el octavo dia de muertos la calaca regalo
8 panes ricos, 7 calaveras, 6 fotografías, 5 cempásuchiles, 4 crucecitas, 3 catrinitas, 2 velitas y 1 tira de papel picado
En el noveno dia de de muertos la calaca regalo
9 juguetes, 8 panes ricos, 7 calaveras, 6 fotografías, 5 cempásuchiles, 4 crucecitas, 3 catrinitas, 2 velitas y 1 tira de papel picado
En el decimo dia de de muertos la calaca regalo
10 chocolates, 9 juguetes, 8 panes ricos, 7 calaveras 6 fotografías, 5 cempásuchiles, 4 crucecitas, 3 catrinitas, 2 velitas y 1 tira de papel picado
En el undécimo dia de de muertos la calaca regalo
11 tamalitos, 10 chocolates, 9 juguetes, 8 panes ricos, 7 calaveras 6 fotografías, 5 cempásuchiles, 4 crucecitas, 3 catrinitas, 2 velitas y 1 tira de papel picado
En el duodecimo dia de de muertos la calaca regalo
12 alebrijes, 11 tamalitos, 10 chocolates, 9 juguetes, 8 panes ricos, 7 calaveras 6 fotografías, 5 cempásuchiles, 4 crucecitas, 3 catrinitas, 2 velitas y 1 tira de papel picado
1 tira de papel picado
En el segundo dia de muertos la calaca regalo
2 velitas y 1 tira de papel picado
En el tercer dia de muertos la calaca regalo
3 catrinitas, 2 velitas y 1 tira de papel picado
En el cuarto dia de muertos la calaca regalo
4 crucecitas, 3 catrinitas, 2 velitas y 1 tira de papel picado
En el quinto dia de muertos la calaca regalo
5 cempásuchiles, 4 crucecitas, 3 catrinitas, 2 velitas y 1 tira de papel picado
En el sexto dia de muertos la calaca regalo : 6 fotografías, 5 cempásuchiles, 4 crucecitas, 3 catrinitas, 2 velitas y 1 tira de papel picado
En el séptimo dia de muertos la calaca regalo
7 calaveras, 6 fotografías, 5 cempásuchiles, 4 crucecitas, 3 catrinitas, 2 velitas y 1 tira de papel picado
En el octavo dia de muertos la calaca regalo
8 panes ricos, 7 calaveras, 6 fotografías, 5 cempásuchiles, 4 crucecitas, 3 catrinitas, 2 velitas y 1 tira de papel picado
En el noveno dia de de muertos la calaca regalo
9 juguetes, 8 panes ricos, 7 calaveras, 6 fotografías, 5 cempásuchiles, 4 crucecitas, 3 catrinitas, 2 velitas y 1 tira de papel picado
En el decimo dia de de muertos la calaca regalo
10 chocolates, 9 juguetes, 8 panes ricos, 7 calaveras 6 fotografías, 5 cempásuchiles, 4 crucecitas, 3 catrinitas, 2 velitas y 1 tira de papel picado
En el undécimo dia de de muertos la calaca regalo
11 tamalitos, 10 chocolates, 9 juguetes, 8 panes ricos, 7 calaveras 6 fotografías, 5 cempásuchiles, 4 crucecitas, 3 catrinitas, 2 velitas y 1 tira de papel picado
En el duodecimo dia de de muertos la calaca regalo
12 alebrijes, 11 tamalitos, 10 chocolates, 9 juguetes, 8 panes ricos, 7 calaveras 6 fotografías, 5 cempásuchiles, 4 crucecitas, 3 catrinitas, 2 velitas y 1 tira de papel picado
English Translation
On the first day of the dead the skeleton gave
1 strip of papel picado
On the second day of the dead the skeleton gave
2 little candles and 1 strip of papel picado
On the third day of the dead the skeleton gave
3 little catrinas, 2 little candles and 1 strip of papel picado
On the fourth day of the dead the skeleton gave
4 little crosses, 3 little catrinas, 2 little candles and 1 strip of papel picado
On the fifth day of the dead the skeleton gave
5 marigolds, 4 little crosses, 3 little catrinas, 2 little candles and 1 strip of papel picado
On the sixth day of the dead the skeleton gave: 6 photographs, 5 marigolds, 4 little crosses, 3 little catrinas, 2 little candles and 1 strip of papel picado
On the seventh day of the dead the skeleton gave
7 sugar skulls, 6 photographs, 5 marigolds, 4 little crosses, 3 little catrinas, 2 little candles and 1 strip of papel picado
On the eighth day of the dead the skeleton gave
8 sweet breads, 7 sugar skulls, 6 photographs, 5 marigolds, 4 little crosses, 3 little catrinas, 2 little candles and 1 strip of papel picado
On the ninth day of the dead the skeleton gave
9 toys, 8 sweet breads, 7 sugar skulls, 6 photographs, 5 marigolds, 4 little crosses, 3 little catrinas, 2 little candles and 1 strip of papel picado
On the tenth day of the dead the skeleton gave
10 chocolates, 9 toys, 8 sweet breads, 7 sugar skulls, 6 photographs, 5 marigolds, 4 little crosses, 3 little catrinas, 2 little candles and 1 strip of papel picado
On the eleventh day of the dead the skeleton gave
11 little tamales, 10 chocolates, 9 toys, 8 sweet breads, 7 sugar skulls, 6 photographs, 5 marigolds, 4 little crosses, 3 little catrinas, 2 little candles and 1 strip of papel picado
On the twelfth day of the dead the skeleton gave
12 alebrijes, 11 little tamales, 10 chocolates, 9 toys, 8 sweet breads, 7 sugar skulls, 6 photographs, 5 marigolds, 4 little crosses, 3 little catrinas, 2 little candles and 1 strip of papel picado
1 strip of papel picado
On the second day of the dead the skeleton gave
2 little candles and 1 strip of papel picado
On the third day of the dead the skeleton gave
3 little catrinas, 2 little candles and 1 strip of papel picado
On the fourth day of the dead the skeleton gave
4 little crosses, 3 little catrinas, 2 little candles and 1 strip of papel picado
On the fifth day of the dead the skeleton gave
5 marigolds, 4 little crosses, 3 little catrinas, 2 little candles and 1 strip of papel picado
On the sixth day of the dead the skeleton gave: 6 photographs, 5 marigolds, 4 little crosses, 3 little catrinas, 2 little candles and 1 strip of papel picado
On the seventh day of the dead the skeleton gave
7 sugar skulls, 6 photographs, 5 marigolds, 4 little crosses, 3 little catrinas, 2 little candles and 1 strip of papel picado
On the eighth day of the dead the skeleton gave
8 sweet breads, 7 sugar skulls, 6 photographs, 5 marigolds, 4 little crosses, 3 little catrinas, 2 little candles and 1 strip of papel picado
On the ninth day of the dead the skeleton gave
9 toys, 8 sweet breads, 7 sugar skulls, 6 photographs, 5 marigolds, 4 little crosses, 3 little catrinas, 2 little candles and 1 strip of papel picado
On the tenth day of the dead the skeleton gave
10 chocolates, 9 toys, 8 sweet breads, 7 sugar skulls, 6 photographs, 5 marigolds, 4 little crosses, 3 little catrinas, 2 little candles and 1 strip of papel picado
On the eleventh day of the dead the skeleton gave
11 little tamales, 10 chocolates, 9 toys, 8 sweet breads, 7 sugar skulls, 6 photographs, 5 marigolds, 4 little crosses, 3 little catrinas, 2 little candles and 1 strip of papel picado
On the twelfth day of the dead the skeleton gave
12 alebrijes, 11 little tamales, 10 chocolates, 9 toys, 8 sweet breads, 7 sugar skulls, 6 photographs, 5 marigolds, 4 little crosses, 3 little catrinas, 2 little candles and 1 strip of papel picado
