The day after Christmas generally brings a lot of contemplation for me. In a normal year, there’s time with family filled with nostalgia and tradition, which inevitably leads to thinking about what’s truly important in life. In a crazy year like 2020, it’s even more fraught with emotion. I will not be spending time with any family this year, having not seen my brother and sister for more than just a couple of minutes since Christmas last year. It’s not ideal but it is what it is, right? We have to make the most of a gross situation. So, I’m looking forward. The issues and frustrations of 2020 will not magically disappear at midnight on New Years but we can still use that symbolic moment as a beacon of hope. It *will* get better and there are plenty of good times ahead. For the 20th and final song in our list, we’re looking at “5 Pa Las 12” by Camilo, a song about New Year’s Eve.

The song (known as “Faltan cinco pa’ las doce”), was written by Oswaldo Oropeza and originally performed by Néstor Zavarce, both of whom are Venezuelan. The song is prevalent in many Latin-American countries at the beginning of the new year. This version was recorded by Camilo as a holiday Spotify Single this year.

The chorus:

Faltan cinco pa’ las doce, el año va a terminar
Me voy corriendo a mi casa a abrazar a mi mamá

Which has been translated as:

It’s five minutes to midnight and the year will end
I’m running home to hug my mom

He apologizes for leaving the party but he knows that his mother is waiting for him and he needs to give her a hug. How sweet is that!? There’s a line in here that I’ve tried to figure out – and even my Spanish speaking friend cannot completely explain. “Los abrazos se confunden sin cesar.” I see it translated as “the hugs are confused without ceasing,” which makes sense to me literally – but there are also interpretations that say it means “the arms are giving hugs without rest,” which makes more sense logically. Regardless, the song is beautiful and this interpretation stands shoulders above the rest in opinion. Intimate and emotional. A perfect way to ring in the new year. Check it out below.

Photo: Billboard.com