The 12 Grapes on New Year’s Eve Tradition, Explained
If you want to celebrate 2026 with good vibes and even better intentions, you may have come across the 12 grapes New Year’s Eve tradition currently making the rounds on TikTok. Snack, but make it meaningful.
So why do people make a big deal out of eating 12 grapes as the new year approaches? This is actually a Spanish ritual that dates back hundreds of years and is also popular in Latin American cultures. But the New Year’s practice of eating a grape from each gong before the clock strikes midnight has become something of a viral movement online.
Considered by some to be the “grape theory,” TikTokers swear that eating grapes on New Year’s Eve is the secret to finding love in the coming year — and the concept has sparked countless videos sharing the romances that have followed since New Year’s Eve last year.
Why do people eat 12 grapes on New Year’s Eve?
The tradition is believed to be hundreds of years old and originated in Spanish cultures. Known as “uvas de la suerte” (or “lucky grapes”), it is common for Spaniards, as well as those in parts of Latin America and the Caribbean, to eat a grape with each of the 12 chimes of the clock before midnight on New Year’s Eve, to welcome the new year and bring good luck.
Many people eat their grapes during large celebrations in Spanish squares or watch news reports on television, and eat each grape in tandem with the ticks of the clock (one for each month of the year), making a wish for each.
TikTok users claim the ‘grape theory’ will bring romance and love to those who practice it, with many claiming to have met a new partner in the new year following the ritual.
Where did the 12 grapes tradition begin?
It is difficult to know exactly when this Spanish tradition began, but according to one source, the first reference to this tradition dates back to 1895. At the time, grapes were considered a delicacy. However, soon after, the tradition was reportedly taken up by the less wealthy to mock the upper classes.
Should you eat grapes under the table?
There are many variations of the tradition explored on TikTok, with some saying you have to be under a table to eat the grapes – and others saying you have to wear red underwear during the ritual (another Spanish tradition to bring luck and fortune). Most agree that this is optional and that the grapes are the fundamental part of the tradition.
What time to eat 12 grapes on New Year’s Eve?
Okay, so this is important. The tradition is to eat a grape from each clock gong before midnight. So yes, that means eating a grape every second the clock starts ticking. At 11:59 a.m., when the countdown begins as midnight approaches, that’s when you should snack. They say you have to finish the grapes before midnight to cash in on that chance, so uh, super-fast chewing is essential.
