Many people around the world welcome the New Year with champagne, parties or warm hugs. In Spain, however, the countdown to midnight follows a very different tradition — eating 12 grapes in the final 60 seconds of the year, a custom known as ‘Las doce uvas de la suerte’ or ‘The Twelve Grapes of Luck.’
Each grape is said to represent one month of the year and is believed to bring luck, happiness and success in the months ahead.
What is the ‘12 Grapes’ tradition?
The ‘12 Grapes’ tradition involves eating one grape with each chime of the clock during the last minute before midnight on New Year’s Eve. According to popular belief, completing the ritual ensures good fortune in the coming year.
Social media trends in recent years suggest that some people follow the ritual while sitting under a table, although this is not part of the original custom.
Where did the tradition begin?
While the tradition gained global attention online in 2024, its roots go back to the 1880s. It is believed to have started among Madrid’s bourgeoisie, who were inspired by a French custom of drinking champagne and eating grapes on New Year’s Eve.
The practice became widely popular in the early 1900s when grape farmers in Alicante, facing a surplus harvest, promoted the ritual as a way to sell excess produce.
Why do Spaniards eat 12 grapes at midnight?
Each of the 12 grapes symbolises a month of the year, and eating them is thought to help manifest hopes and goals for the future — whether related to love, health, wealth or personal success.
What happens if you eat all 12 grapes?
According to tradition, finishing all 12 grapes before midnight is believed to bring prosperity and good luck for the year ahead. The result, many say, depends on the intention set while eating each grape.
The custom is so deeply rooted in Spain that supermarkets sell tins of ‘12 lucky grapes’ in the days leading up to New Year’s Eve. These grapes are often peeled and seeded, making them easier to eat in quick succession as the clock strikes midnight.
