Champagne grapes and tar (otra vez el champán, y las uvas, y el alquitrán...)
Foreigners that have spent New Year's Eve with Spaniards can't understand the fuss about the grapes.
Imagine this. Every TV channel has a alive show from the nearest Main Square. National channels do it from Madrid's Puerta del Sol (and there are webcams, too). Most people watch the clocks in those squares at midnight on TV, but many go to the squares instead, of course.
So far so normal. but then there´s the grapes. We have each a bowl with twelve grapes. They must be counted, you don´t take just a bunch. having more or less than 12 brings bad luck. And at each stroke of the bells at midnight, you eat (or swallow, or try to) one grape. Glulp glulp glulp. (No, that´s not a typo). It is as messy as you think; and then, with the grape juice still trickling down hands and chins, everyone hugs everyone!
Oh, and we normally have dinner and do that with our families, and only then we go out to parties with friends. Being back home before 5 (or 9) in the morning feels like a quiet, early night. That means that with the six-hours time difference, my American friends and me will be going to bed more or les at the same time.
Whatever weird superstitions you follow, have a great night, everyone.
Imagine this. Every TV channel has a alive show from the nearest Main Square. National channels do it from Madrid's Puerta del Sol (and there are webcams, too). Most people watch the clocks in those squares at midnight on TV, but many go to the squares instead, of course.
So far so normal. but then there´s the grapes. We have each a bowl with twelve grapes. They must be counted, you don´t take just a bunch. having more or less than 12 brings bad luck. And at each stroke of the bells at midnight, you eat (or swallow, or try to) one grape. Glulp glulp glulp. (No, that´s not a typo). It is as messy as you think; and then, with the grape juice still trickling down hands and chins, everyone hugs everyone!
Oh, and we normally have dinner and do that with our families, and only then we go out to parties with friends. Being back home before 5 (or 9) in the morning feels like a quiet, early night. That means that with the six-hours time difference, my American friends and me will be going to bed more or les at the same time.
Whatever weird superstitions you follow, have a great night, everyone.
Comentario:
Bueno, ni a mi hermana ni a mi nos gustan las uvas, así que por norma general tomamos un conguito, un lacasito, un quico o cualquier cosa pequeña y comestible que haya por casa con cada campanada: que si las uvas dan suerte porque determinado año hubo excedente y tenían que venderla, Lacasa también tiene que hacer negocio ;) Besos y feliz salida y entrada de año