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Happy and Blessed New Year 2023!
Last night was our fourth New Year’s celebration in Spain. When we went grocery shopping this week, green grapes were top on the list. We refused to miss the Spanish traditions again this year!
We learned our lesson on December 31, 2020 when we turned on Spanish television at 11:55 p.m. The clock struck midnight, and the numbers counted down on the screen from 12 to 1 with each loud dong. The commentators popped the twelve grapes into their mouths one by one, along with their swigs of champagne. It was at that moment that we received texts from our neighbors to gather on the street the share together the traditional “uvas.” (“grapes” in Spanish)
Missed It
It wasn’t until then . . . that we realized that we had missed “Las doce uvas de la suerte,” “The twelve grapes of luck.” We didn’t have any grapes in the house. I guess we will never be Spanish.
Cultural Awareness
Curious, I decided to put on my cultural awareness glasses the next day and do some research on the origin of the “uvas” tradition.
Here’s what I found . . .
“The particular tradition of popping a grape in the mouth to the dong of the bells in front of the clock of Madrid’s Puerta del Sol has its origins in a working class rebellion against a tax imposed in 1882 by José Abascal y Carredano, the mayor of Madrid.
He reportedly imposed a tax of 5 pesetas on those holding parties on the eve of Epiphany—when the Three Kings roll into town—which meant only the wealthy in the city could afford to celebrate late into the night after the free parade in the afternoon.
So the working class decided to stage their own celebration in front of the then mayor’s office in Puerta del Sol and scoff a grape on each gong of the bell to make a mockery of the bourgeoise dining habits.”
The Local
Others say that the bourgeoisie in Madrid copied the French tradition of grapes and champagne on New Year’s Eve. (The Local)
Interesting . . . this is obviously not a new tradition.
Others tell a different story of the origin of the “12 Grapes of Luck.” One narrative says that the cultivators in Alicante had an amazing harvest in 1909 and found a creative way to sell off their surplus. (NPR)
Danger—Grape Popping!
No matter what the true origin might be, there has been recent concern about the health risks of popping 12 grapes quickly into your mouth—while laughing, dancing, celebrating, and chatting.
Danger . . .
“Ear, nose and throat (ENT) associations have for years warned that the Spanish tradition of wolfing down a grape for every one of the twelve chimes that rings in the New Year is not without its risks.
They’ve told the public to buy seedless, skinless grapes and are even pushing for the time between dongs to be extended from three to five seconds to allow people to catch their breath more easily and swallow properly.
People over the age of 65 are also considered to be a high-risk group for suffocation during this tradition and so are young children, especially those under five.”
The Local
The 12 grapes are supposed to bring luck and prosperity for the new year. Not sure what that means for those of us who forgot to buy grapes and pop them into our mouths at midnight this year.
Red Underwear?
Spanish tradition also tells you to wear red ropa interior—underwear, a bra, a sock, whatever. And, ideally, the undergarment should be given to you by someone else.
Needless to say, this American/French woman living in Spain has, at times, missed BOTH of these Spanish New Year’s traditions—no grapes and no red undergarments!
If that’s your case too, don’t worry. Let’s hope and pray that abundant blessings of joy, hope, peace, and love still await us in 2023.
Feliz Año Nuevo!
—THE CULTURAL STORY-WEAVER
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LET’S WEAVE CULTURES!
How do you ring in the New Year in your country?
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