{"id":9337,"date":"2015-12-31T13:20:49","date_gmt":"2015-12-31T18:20:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/spanish\/?p=9337"},"modified":"2015-12-31T13:20:49","modified_gmt":"2015-12-31T18:20:49","slug":"new-years-eve-and-traditions-in-spain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/spanish\/new-years-eve-and-traditions-in-spain\/","title":{"rendered":"New Year’s Eve and traditions in Spain"},"content":{"rendered":"

New Year is here and this is on of the most important celebrations in Spain. Do you feel like brushing up your New Year vocabulary? Check out our previous posts<\/a> on this subject. You can also check posts on Christmas vocabulary<\/a>, Christmas food <\/a>and the Spanish Christmas lottery<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Let’s go through some of the traditions in the Spanish-speaking world for this very special and last night of the year.<\/p>\n

Las 12 uvas (The 12 grapes)<\/h3>\n

In Spain the tradition for New Year’s Eve is organized around grapes. Yes, grapes. Every December 31 at 11:55 p.m., families and friends gather in the local main square to listen to the bells tolling at midnight to indicate the change of year. While the bells toll, you are expected to eat one grape after another, up to the 12 grapes that take us to the following year. There should be a wish connected to each of the grapes.<\/p>\n

The change of year is always broadcast from the\u00a0Puerta del Sol<\/a> tower clock, where this tradition started, so most families actually gather around the TV or radio. The broadcast is kind of\u00a0tacky and old-fashioned, but totally worth watching.<\/p>\n

The most important part of this tradition is actually not choking with the grapes, as they fill up your mouth trying to follow the pace of the bells. You should try it out some time! Here’s a video on 2014-2015 change of year.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/youtu.be\/EXwHcPm_xF8<\/a><\/p>\n

Lencer\u00eda roja (Red underwear)<\/h3>\n

In Spain people usually use red underwear (braguitas y\u00a0calzoncillos<\/em>) on this night, to bring good luck and love for the following year.<\/p>\n

Bear in mind it should be brand new. In other places in Latin America, for example, the colour they choose is yellow (in Colombia) and pink (in Argentina).<\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n

Los prop\u00f3sitos de A\u00f1o Nuevo (New Year’s good purposes)<\/h3>\n

It is typical in Spain to make New Year purposes to be achieved during 2016. Here you have a list of the most common ones:<\/p>\n