It’s December 31st today. Last day of this strange year. Today I will be having dinner with my dad and sisters, as restrictions have been lifted so my dad and I can travel to where she lives (my hometown is on lockdown and I can’t go outside the borders of the city, which sometimes makes me think I’m in some apocalyptic tv show…).

I want to share with you all the Spanish tradition for this day, and it is the Twelve Grapes / Doce uvas / Uvas de la suerte. What is this? This tradition consists of eating a grape with each clock bell strike at midnight of December 31 to welcome the New Year. So in every single home in Spain, by 11:55 everyone gathers before TV so we watch it together and eat the grapes. Most TV networks broadcast from Puerta del Sol in Madrid where this tradition got started.

You may wonder how this tradition began. Well it goes back to 1895 but became “officially” established in 1909. In December of that year, some vine growers popularized this custom to better sell huge numbers of grapes from an excellent harvest. Very mundane, don’t you think? Yet the tradition has survived to our days!!

And what happens if you don’t like grapes, like myself? Well, you then take 12 of other things: I’ve done olives, lacasitos (which are Spanish M&M), tiny potatoes (I know, crazy!), peanuts… Now I’m more sophisticated and I have 12 sips of champagne. Always stylish!

Is there any special tradition in your corner of the world?