5 Fascinating Facts about Christmas
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GRAPES OF NOCHEVIEJA
MIDNIGHT EXPRESS an unmissable fruity New Year's Eve tradition in Spain
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| The twelve lucky Spanish grapes |
On New Year's Eve (Nochevieja), families gather together again, for a big meal - they have to be finished by midnight (or, if they've gone out, be back home), so that they can eat the all-important grapes, las uvas de la suerte, together. This tradition consists of eating one grape for each stroke of midnight (live on TV, from the clock in Puerta del Sol, Madrid), to afford them 12 months of good luck (tip - get the seedless type, or you'll be doing more spitting than swallowing). The first stroke is at 36 seconds before midnight. Some say you also have to wear new, red underwear (both sexes).
