It’s a Spanish tradition the origin of which is widely disputed. But everybody there does it. Legend claims eating 12 grapes at midnight will bring you good fortune, health, romance, and abundance in the year to come. Who wouldn’t do it?
Of all places to find the straight-up low-down on a Spanish tradition! The Times of India recently published an article on the Spanish custom of eating 12 grapes on New Year’s Eve…
What it entails…
The denizens of the Times‘ Lifestyle Desk tell us: “Known as ‘Las Doce Uvas de la Suerte’ (The Twelve Grapes of Luck), this tradition started in late 1800s Madrid. As the Puerta del Sol clock chimes 12 times at midnight on December 31, families gather round the TV popping one grape per toll, 12 in all, one for each month. It started when Alicante [grape growers] faced a bumper crop in the late 1900s. To sell the overripe bunches from La Rioja vineyards, they turned the surplus fruit into a playful ritual…”
Social media influencers have picked up on Las Doce Uvas and added some twists of their own. One wide-spread ‘enhancement’ on the ritual claims you should wear red underwear while performing it. And the undies must be a gift from someone else. Others say you should duck under a table to per-form the ritual. It’s privacy thing. Because previous commenters had already suggested you whisper your aspirations for each month of 2026 as you pop its representative grape. Kind of like not reveal-ing your wish when you blow out your birthday candles.
New to us…
The custom of eating 12 grapes at New Year’s is new to most of us. But it makes a fun way to energize the midnight champagne toast. I thought immediately of the rational behind hanging mistletoe for Christmas Eve… And I have also decided to mimic the influencers and suggest alternative ways of getting your 12 grapes.
The Las Doce Uvas champagne cocktail
Alejandro Valdes Lora and the Delish Test Kitchen have come up with what they claim is the ultimate version of the traditional Las Doce Uvas champagne cocktail.
It features Prosecco and St. Germain liqueur, a less-well-known spirit based on Elderflowers. Other recipes I’ve seen call for other liquors…
Prosecco ‘Popping’ Grapes
There’s another really classy, uber-upgraded, newstalgic take on the 12 grapes of New Years… It’s Grapes soaked in a bath of Prosecco and Vodka and coated with sugar!
A Cheese-couterie Board
Provide a big cheese board populated with cheeses that complement the flavour of green grapes. Give each guest a small bowl containing their 12 grapes and a cocktail pick. And invite them to ‘graze’…
12 Grape Tomatoes
Some Italian chefs insist you can obtain the benefits ascribed to 12 green grapes at New Years by eating 12 grape tomatoes. I don’t know about that. But it’s a claim backed up by the same traditional and social media bumpf as the original Spanish observance.
My take
You and your fertile imagination can, I’m sure, come up with additional creative ways to showcase 12 green grapes at midnight on New Year’s Eve!
Just do it! And prepare for the best year you’ve enjoyed in a long time…
~ Maggie J.