You are supposed to eat the 12 grapes right as the year changes , traditionally one grape for each of the 12 chimes of the clock at midnight on New Year’s Eve.

Exact timing

  • The classic Spanish tradition is to start when the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve and eat one grape per chime , for a total of 12 chimes.
  • The aim is to finish all 12 grapes within that first minute of the new year, symbolically setting up good luck for each month ahead.

What each grape means

  • Each grape is linked to one month of the coming year, so 12 grapes = 12 months of luck, prosperity, or good vibes.
  • Many people also make a quick wish or intention with each grape (health, money, love, etc.), treating it like a mini vision board for the year.

Do they have to be at midnight?

  • In the traditional version, yes: eating them before or long after midnight is seen as “not really doing the ritual.”
  • In modern, more relaxed takes, some people just do it within those first moments of the new year at parties or in public squares, as long as it’s tied to the turn of the year.

What about “under the table” and other trends?

  • The original Spanish custom is simply eating 12 grapes with the midnight chimes; extras like doing it under a table or wearing red underwear come from social media and local twists, especially linked to love and relationships.
  • These newer variations are more playful superstition than historical rule, so you can add them if you enjoy the fun, but they are not required for the tradition.

Quick how‑to

  1. Prepare 12 small, seedless grapes in advance for each person.
  1. Wait for the clock to strike midnight on New Year’s Eve.
  1. Eat one grape for each chime (or quickly within that first minute).
  1. Optionally, make a wish/intention per grape and just enjoy the moment, even if you don’t finish perfectly.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.