Spanish Holiday Traditions: Grapes at New Year's

Eating grapes in Salamanca a few years ago
Since I will be spending another holiday season here in Spain, I have decided to do a series of posts about holiday traditions that are important when celebrating. Some of them are similar to those back home, others are quite different. I hope you enjoy learning a bit about what we do here to celebrate the season!

Grapes at New Year's

I have probably mentioned this before but one of the big traditions here in Spain on New Year´s Eve is the eating of 12 grapes. The idea is that as the clock strikes midnight you have to eat a grape for each chime. It is a race to make sure you finish your 12 grapes before the New Year begins because it is thought to bring you good luck. 

Jose and I incorporated this tradition into our wedding as we gave our guests 12 grapes to eat the next evening (since we were married on the 30th of December). This was our small favor with an explanation as well (so people didn´t think we were crazy). 

 As you can imagine, it can be difficult to find good grapes in the middle of winter, especially in a country that seems to use all its grapes for wine (not that I am complaining). However, most of the time now the grapes that people eat on New Year´s Eve come out of a can. I can attest that they taste HORRIBLE. It really is a feat to choke them down but really since you are eating them so quickly, you don´t get to savor their gross taste.

 In any case, this year we will be sure to find some grapes to eat while we are in Morocco ringing in 2014. Check in again to find out more Spanish holiday traditions

Comments

  1. EmilyDecember 23, 2013 at 3:16 PM

    Dear Allie, one of my favorite songs ever in Spanish is "Un año más" by Mecano. I never understood the lyrics (I assume they're referring to the grapes) "Uno dos tres y cuatro y empieza otra vez, que la quinta es la una la sexta la dos, y así, el siete es tres"..if they are referring to the grapes, why the change in gender? Gracias, ¡Feliz Navidad y tengáis un Año Nuevo lleno de felicidad!

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    Replies
    1. AllieDecember 23, 2013 at 5:12 PM

      Ok this might be a bit confusing, but the uno, dos, tres y cuatro part refers to "los cuartos" which are the sounds made by a clock before the actual chimes, like the lead-up ding-dongs that signal that the hour is about to change. This is when a lot of people get confused and start to eat their grapes, when in reality you should wait for the 12 chimes that give the hour. Y empieza otra vez means the actual ringing of the hour, so the fifth sound you hear is actually the first chime (first grape) the sixth is really the second (and grape number 2) etc. The change in gender comes from the change in cardinal numbers (uno, dos, tres etc) which are always masculine (EL siete) and the ordinal numbers (la quinta, la sexta) which in this case are feminine because they refer to "la campanada." I think when it is masculine they are referring to numbers and when it is feminine they are referring to the chimes. This is the best answer I can think of.

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    2. AnonymousDecember 23, 2013 at 6:50 PM

      Dear Allie: Here's another one that I picked up from a Jewish socialite from San Antonio, TX., a few years ago and have done this every year since; hope you like it:
      Wrap all the cash you have around in a cabbage leaf, put it under your pillow on New Year's Eve, go to sleep and you will have money for the whole year!

      Delete
    3. AllieDecember 23, 2013 at 6:55 PM

      That is a really curious New Year's tradition. I wonder where it comes from?? Something to try...

      Delete

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