In the Philippines, fruits displayed for New Year are traditionally round to symbolize prosperity and coins.
Many Filipino families prepare twelve round fruits for Media Noche, the midnight meal welcoming the new year. The number twelve is commonly linked with the months, while the circular shape recalls coins and is associated with wealth, abundance, and good fortune.
The fruit selection varies by household and availability. Common examples include grapes, oranges, apples, melons, and other naturally rounded fruit. The practice is a folk custom rather than a required religious observance, so families may adapt both the number and the specific foods.
The celebration also commonly includes a shared midnight meal and symbolic practices intended to attract luck. Round fruit should not be confused with the Spanish twelve-grape custom: the Philippines may use twelve fruits, but the broader emphasis is their shape.