grapes and cava new year in spain new years eve in spain spanish towns a
The New Year (Nochevieja) in Spain is celebrated by some really bizarre traditions.
The celebrations start with an enormous family dinner being followed by the townspeople either gathering in the local square or staying in with their families and eating twelve grapes at each stroke of Midnight (usually drinking them down with a glass of Cava or two!)
Each grape consumed will bring luck to a month of the year, so it’s vital to consume all twelve! The origin of this tradition is disputed. One version says that one of the Spanish Kings gave gifts of grapes to his people at the New Year after a particularly abundant grape harvest. The other is much more cynical. That this custom was started by the farmers in order to boost their profits!
Moreover the Spanish will be wearing red underwear as they believe that it will bring good luck, especially if it has been bought by someone else as a gift.
Some believe that even more luck will come your way if you turn your red pants inside out at midnight!
It is thought that this tradition started in China and has spread into Europe and even beyond to Mexico, Venezuela and Italy.
After the midnight grape-eating and underwear-turning the Spanish will party until dawn!
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