Twelve grapes are eaten at midnight in Spain's traditional New Year's Eve custom.
Known as the twelve grapes of luck, the practice calls for eating one grape with each of the 12 clock chimes at midnight. Successfully finishing them is traditionally associated with good fortune in the 12 months ahead. Families often follow the chimes on television or in a public square.
Madrid's Puerta del Sol is the most famous public setting for the custom, with its clock broadcasting the midnight chimes across Spain. The tradition is now also observed in parts of Latin America and elsewhere, although local details differ.
The grapes are not simply a general symbol of abundance: the essential feature is the one-to-one connection between 12 grapes and the 12 chimes. The quarter-hour warning sounds before the main chimes and should not be counted as part of the grape sequence.