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Grape Eating Tradition at Midnight of New Year’s Eve in Mexico, Spain, and Other Hispanic Countries

A surplus grapes in the Alicante region of Spain is said to have lead to the tradition of eating this fruit at the stroke of midnight throughout the Hispanic world. The practice is to eat 12 grapes — one at each stoke of the clock which announces the midnight hour — on New Year’s Eve. Each [...]

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A surplus grapes in the Alicante region of Spain is said to have lead to the tradition of eating this fruit at the stroke of midnight throughout the Hispanic world. The practice is to eat 12 grapes — one at each stoke of the clock which announces the midnight hour — on New Year’s Eve. Each grape represents a month of the year ahead, and the quality of each grape is suppose to represent the quality of month you should expect. So if your sixth grape is mushy and gross, then be prepared for hardships in June.

As I ate my twelve grapes in Mexico as the fireworks rocketed up into the sky, number eight was rotten, but number 12 was perfect and crisp. Therefore, as the tradition goes, my August 2012 should be a downer, but my fortunes should rise by December. Unfortunately, my poor wife’s grapes were all accidentally smushed in my pocket.

Grapes

Filed under: Culture and Society, Food

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I am the founder and editor of Vagabond Journey. I’ve been traveling the world since 1999, through 91 countries. I am the author of the book, Ghost Cities of China and have written for The Guardian, Forbes, Bloomberg, The Diplomat, the South China Morning Post, and other publications. has written 3699 posts on Vagabond Journey. Contact the author.

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  • kurabiye January 4, 2012, 9:07 am

    İn Turkey there is another new year tradition of eating of pomegranate that represent the plenty….

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    • Wade Shepard January 4, 2012, 11:54 am

      Yes, it is interesting how food can become a symbol. Thanks.

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  • the turd February 8, 2012, 7:10 pm

    i like pie and its my new years tradition:)!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  • Andrew Vernon March 5, 2012, 11:55 pm

    What an interesting tradition. Does it mean that someone who prepares and selects the best grapes before taking them before the stroke of midnight would have a great year ahead? In a way that would be cheating, but only those superstitious would attempt it.

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    • Wade Shepard March 6, 2012, 11:01 am

      We’ll see. That’s what I tried.

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