Why do Spanish people eat 12 grapes in New Year’s Eve?

Dear guest, the twelve grapes or grapes of luck is the tradition of eating twelve grapes, one for each stroke, at 12 pm from December 31 (New Year's Eve) to January 1, because it supposedly brings good luck for the new year.

There are several theories about the beginning of the tradition of eating twelve grapes on New Year's Eve in Spain, but two are the most powerful: the first theory says that the tradition of eating the 12 grapes at midnight on New Year's Eve was originated in 1909, due to an excess of harvest of white grapes in the regions of Almería, Murcia and Alicante, and it is not completely true. Yes, it is true that the wine producers in these regions had a surplus available during that particular year and it was certainly a decisive reason in popularizing the tradition of eating the grapes on New Year’s Eve, but  there are reports dating back to late 1800s.

In those years, wealthy families often ate grapes and drank champagne to celebrate the New Year’s Eve. In an effort to ridicule this ostentatious tradition, a group of workers gathered in the Puerta del Sol square of Madrid to eat the grapes and enjoy their champagne; this is what led to the celebrations there is now every year.

Later, twelve grapes were taken to symbolize each of the months of the year. During the first decade of the 20th century, the tradition became popular, first among the inhabitants of the city of Madrid, and then it spread to other parts of Spain.

According to tradition, whoever eats twelve grapes to the rhythm of each of the bells will have a prosperous year and good luck.

Although eating twelve grapes on New Year's Eve is a tradition of Spanish origin, it has become popular over the years in some Latin American countries, such as Mexico, Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia or Puerto Rico, among others.

Dear guest, if you are in one of our villas during New Year's Eve, I invite you to try this Spanish tradition that will surely generate fun for you.