It's both a tradition and a superstition in Spain. Everyone focuses on eating all 12 of the “miraculous grapes” that symbolise 12 lucky months ahead.
The biggest challenge is more likely to be not gagging as you cram them in your mouth and try to swallow while laughing hysterically.
The camera of the main national TV channel focuses on the clock tower of the 18th-century Real Casa de Correos in Madrid's Puerta del Sol while a pair of announcers in formal wear, high above the thousands of revellers packed into the chilly plaza below, quickly repeat instructions one last time. After the bells ring out four times in quick succession — "Wait, wait, and ignore those!" — There is a slight pause and then begins a series of 12 chimes — one for each month.
At that first dong, Spaniards from Barcelona to Bilbao to Cadiz pop a grape into their mouths. There is little time to chew and swallow, much less savour, because about two seconds later there is a second dong and a second grape gets popped into the mouth.
If you eat all 12 by the end of the final bell's toll then you will have good luck in the new year.
This popular tradition is a century or so old, though its exact origins remain debatable. One oft-repeated story says that growers in Alicante had a bumper 1909 harvest and found a creative way to sell off their surplus.
Recently, though, old newspaper articles have been republished that show the tradition began decades earlier, in the 1880s. These stories tell of bourgeoisie in Madrid copying the French tradition of having grapes and champagne on the last day of the year. Before long this custom had been adopted by certain madrileños who went to Puerta del Sol to see the bells chime at the turning of the year and, most likely in an ironic or mocking manner, to eat grapes like the upper class.
Also the convention says you must eat the 12 grapes while wearing red underwear — a bra, a sock, a garter, whatever. To accompany this drop a gold ring into my celebratory glass of cava (local champagne-style bubbly from Catalunya). "Just don't swallow it!" That would, no doubt, be a harbinger of bad luck. 🥂🍾
You are ready now... here is the link! BUENA SUERTE 😁
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