The 12 Grapes of Luck

In America, you’ll find yourself watching the Times Square ball drop on TV, hosting parties with friends and family, making resolutions, and toasting with champagne at midnight. Sometimes even kissing loved ones at midnight, setting off fireworks, and singing “Auld Lang Syne.” However, where did the 12 Grapes of Luck come from and what do they mean?

The tradition in Spain and Latin America consists of eating 12 grapes per chime of the bell to represent each month of the coming each. If you can succeed with eating these grapes in time you are promised a year of good luck, prosperity, and success. This tradition is called “Las doce uvas de la suerte”.  

Where did it come from: 

There is no certainty of the exact origin of this tradition but one story talks about how Alicante, Spain had a large crop of grapes in 1909 and this led growers to seek out a new creative way to eliminate their surplus. However, recent research shows that the tradition started in the 1880s, where eating grapes was used as a mocking device against the upper class who were imitating the French tradition of dining on grapes and drinking champagne on New Year’s Eve. 

It’s even harder in Spain

You might think that eating 12 seedless grapes and saying your wishes is a difficult task, but this tradition is a lot easier in places other than Spain. Seedless grapes are not common in Spain, so they are required to swallow the seeds along with the grapes. There is also a twist that was put on the tradition: it is required that you wear red undergarments that were given to you as a gift. No one knows where this came from, but it’s strongly enforced in Spain if you want the tradition to properly work. 

What the Grapes of luck Means 

January (Enero) an important wish – this is a wish that addresses a fundamental human needs or a deep, meaningful aspiration rather than a fleeting desire. These wishes can include:

• Good health for oneself and loved ones 

• A safe and secure home 

• Wisdom and personal character 

• World peace

• Universal empathy 

• The ability to help others 

• To pursue a passion

February (Febrero) an impossible dream – these wishes are usually seen as unattainable or often considered as a pipe dream, but they can become reality through hard work, innovation, and the refusal to give up. These wishes can include:

• Traveling the world 

• Writing a novel 

• Becoming a CEO 

• Becoming famous 

March (Marzo) a wish for love – the sincere desire for a deep, meaningful connection with another person, the hope for companionship, emotional fulfilment, and mutual growth. These wishes can include:

• Hoping for a soulmate 

• Wishing for a partner to share your lifetime with 

• Wanting someone who will love you despite your faults 

April (Abrill) a family wish – this is a sincere hope for a family’s wellbeing, somethings that will bring the family closer together. These wishes can include:

• Hope for a family member to achieve a lifelong goal 

• Wishing for health and happiness for everyone 

• Expressing a desire for quality time spent together 

• Wishing for family members to find a fulfilling career

May (Mayo) an undesirable desire – these are generally seen as detracting from well-being, both for the individual and for society, however, they are not always seen as bad or harmful. These wishes can include:

• Physical desires 

• Intellectual desires 

• Sexual desire

• Economic desire 

June (Junio) a fun wish – a wish that is imaginative, humorous, or centered around a delightful experience rather than material gain. These wishes can include:  

• Traveling to a new country 

• Learning a new skill

• Wishing for maximum fun 

• Start an improv group 

July (Julio) an environmental wish – the genuine desire to be more sustainable. These wishes can include:

• For more trees to be planted 

• For there to be less pollution 

• World peace

August (Agosto) an insistent desire – a strong, persistent, and sometimes overwhelming wish for something. These wishes can include:

• Rest 

• Food 

• Security 

• Intimacy 

• Recognition

• Achievement 

• Adventure 

September (Septiembre) a wish for health – hopes for a speedy recovery, general well-being, and personal health goals. These wishes can include:

• Feeling better

• Get well soon 

• Fast recovery 

• Goal weight met 

October (Octubre) a million-dollar wish – a profoundly significant, life-changing wish. These wishes can include:   

• Buy a dream house 

• Invest wisely 

• Create a business

• Enjoy a life of luxury 

• Travel 

• Pay for education 

• Donate to charities

• Help the poor 

November (Noviembre) a physical desire – a longing for closeness and physical contact. These wishes can include:

• Physical attraction 

• To be near someone 

• Physical affection 

December (Diciembre) a humble wish – a selfless desire focused on the well-being of others or a simple request for one’s own basic needs. These wishes can include:

• Happiness and good health for friends and family 

• That loved ones receive the love and support that they need

• A peaceful resolution between two people 

• Courage to face your own flaws 

• To be more grateful for the blessing i already have

Extra Information  

The taste is also important. They say that if your grape is sweet then you can predict that the month will be full of joy and success, while a sour grape is a warning of potential obstacles. 

You also must finish all the grapes in one minute, this means it all must be swallowed. If you are still chewing or still have some grapes left in your month then your wishes don’t count.

• #traditions
• New Year
• spain
• wishes