Halcombe Norilsk
How are you to spend the last day of the year? Are you to attend to a party? What are you going to eat? As I am Spanish I will be eating 12 grapes at midnight. Discover the reason.
EATING 12 GRAPES
Some people love traditions others just hate them. I do not pay too much attention to them, yet I do not like to heavily critize either.
What is more, I do not have any troubles at all when it comes to following some. Without going any further, the Spanish tradition of eating 12 grapes this New Year’s Evening will be embraced for sure.
LENTILS FOR DINNER
In Italy and some South American countries, they do eat brown lentils to attract good luck. In Spain, we are way cooler than other Latin countries. To prove this extent, we will be eating 12 grapes at midnight.
GRAPES IN SPAIN
First twelve seconds of the New Year should be complemented with 12 grapes that should be eaten on these twelve first seconds.
Every toll ringing is the signal for you to eat a grape. After the twelve first tolls and after these first twelve seconds of the New Year you may drink a glass of cava, a special type of wine which is very similar both in taste and colour to champagne.
Perhaps you do not like traditions, perhaps you do not like Christmas activities, yet in my opinion, this is somewhat original. There are different theories about how this started.
HISTORY
In the XIX century, this tradition was popular amongst rich people, subsequently, it was commenced in all Spanish regions (1909) because there was an enormous amount of grapes yielded that year.
Since then, every year people eat grapes in Spain when the new year begins. All parties provide people with grapes. All TV presenters eat them, every family buys grapes.
However, there are some documents that were written in 1895 which proved politicians and ministers were saying hello to the new year with grapes, champagne or cava.
What is more, before being eaten throughout the whole of Spain, it was Madrid the place where it became popular. In 1897 people living in Madrid were eating grapes to start the new year.
In the year 1903, this tradition was also famous in Tenerife, inside the Canary Islands. Soon thereafter, everybody knew of it in Spain. As I have said before, it was in the year 1909 when everyone had grapes at midnight.
There are plenty of theories but all of this is more or less a brief summary of my own. At first, it was only for rich people and I have also heard that in some parts of France they eat grapes as well (other Spanish speaking countries in America do also have this tradition)
GOOD LUCK
If you eat the twelve grapes successfully, it does mean all your wishes and desires are to be accomplished. Which are yours? Do you have New Year’s resolutions? What do you think of this tradition? Do share and comment.
A new tradition I have learned!
Thanks a lot for your comment.
You can eat 12 grapes in twelve seconds, it is possible. Eat one grape per second
Oh no, grapefruits are big and difficult to eat.
If you are in Spain the last day of the year, you will have to eat grapes
Terrorism in Basque Country no longer exists. Terrorists abandoned their weapons a decade ago. Everybody eats grapes on the last day of the year at midnight.
I like the idea of eating grapes. It’s not a tradition I grew up with but I would be happy to start. Happy New Year my friend. I’m glad you joined this community. 🙂
Thanks a lot. Try eating 12 grapes this year. You can have them when it is midnight in Spain (afternoon in The United States) you can celebrate two New Years. This tradition is huge in Spain. Everybody eats grapes
Very interesting tradition!
Thanks a lot for your comment.
Here in Portugal we also eat grapes in the last day of the year.
That´s great. I did not know that.
I think this is a lovely tradition and one that should be continued in Spain and adapted all around the world. Why not?
It is original, everybody celebrates New Year´s Eve all around the world but the grapes add emotion in the Spanish version.
that’s a tradition which is new to me
Thanks for your comment. Hope you have enjoyed my article.
it was an interesting bit of trivia
Thanks a lot for your comment
you are most welcome
I didn’t know that. Very interesting tradition. I am pleased to learn about the traditions of the other countries. We don’t have any special New Year’s Eve tradition in our country.
Thanks for your comment. Everybody eats grapes in Spain at New Year´s Eve
Interesting post, friend … I stick to some traditions too … traditionally I go for Christmas at midnight
Thanks for your comment. Everybody eats grapes in Spain at New Yera´s Eve.
Very interesting tradition … does it have any special meaning?
I explain a little bit of it on the article. It is meant to bring good luck
Thank you for the explanation, my friend
what a wonderful tradition, thanks for sharing! I am not sure I could stop at 12 grapes!
Thanks for your comment. Yes, you could stop at the 12th grape
i am not sure I can easily 🙂
Try it this year. Have a Spanish New Year´s eve. As you are in America you can have two, at 6 o´clock in your country you can have a Spanish New Year´s eve with grapes and after that you can have the American one.
At this point New Years Eve for me ends much earlier than midnight. But I will add that to our early evening celebration!
There are such so many superstitions for the new year’s eve. Over here the most popular is having 12 round fruits on the table.
Thanks for your comment. I did not know that