Eating green grapes is the trend that Vietnamese youth enthusiastically respond to on New Year's Day. Videos shared on social media platforms quickly attract millions of views.
Eating green grapes on New Year's Eve is not just a simple act of imitation but also has a deep meaning. The image of young people hastily crawling under the table to eat grapes when the clock strikes 0:00 on January 1st makes many people curious. In fact, they do that action because they want everything to go smoothly in the new year.
This trend is popularly known as "eating grapes under the table" at New Year's Eve to wish for a peaceful and happy new year.
This is a custom originating from the Spanish with the full name "Las doce uvas de la suerte", which roughly translates to 12 lucky grapes. According to this custom, at the exact moment of transition between the old year and the new year, people will eat 12 grapes, each grape representing a month of the year.
Some other opinions say that this custom dates back to the 1880s, when the Madrid bourgeoisie imitated the French tradition of eating grapes and drinking champagne on New Year's Eve. Over time, this tradition spread throughout Spain and became a unique cultural feature.
People in this country call grapes uvas de la suerte (lucky grapes).
The custom has become popular in many countries in South America, Latin America and even around the world. Recently, this tradition has become a hit on social media TikTok, with many people challenging each other to eat 12 grapes within one minute. According to tradition, every time the clock strikes midnight, people eat a grape. This bell is often broadcast live in large squares such as Puerta del Sol in Madrid, Spain.
However, this challenge is not as easy as you think. You have to eat all 12 grapes within exactly 12 bells, equivalent to one minute. To make it more convenient, many people often skewer the grapes or peel and seed them in advance. In Spain, supermarkets even sell pre-prepared boxes of grapes to make it easier for people to perform this traditional ritual.
If we eat 12 grapes corresponding to 12 bells ringing, a new year of happiness, peace and luck will come.
The grape variety commonly used is the Aledo grape - a Spanish specialty grape with a mild sweetness, thin skin and no seeds, suitable for this custom. The purpose of eating 12 grapes at New Year's Eve is to bring luck and prosperity for the new year. People believe that eating a grape at each bell toll will help them have a smooth and happy year. If you eat all 12 grapes within a minute, everything in life will be smooth from work, health, love,...
Some people believe that if you eat sweet grapes, you will have a favorable month of the year. On the contrary, if you eat sour grapes, you will have to face challenges in life. Many people believe that the "method of eating 12 grapes on New Year's Eve to find a lover" is effective because those who apply it really want a turning point in their love life, so they open their hearts to find and receive love.
In recent days, many Vietnamese TikTokers have also posted clips of "eating 12 grapes on New Year's Eve to find a lover". Many young people humorously said that they eat grapes every day, from now until New Year's Eve for the best results.
While the custom of eating grapes is ancient, modern variations have made it more interesting. For example, some people in Latin America eat grapes under the table or use grapes of a certain color for good luck. However, these variations are purely personal and not a Spanish tradition.
