In the Philippines, fruits traditionally served at New Year’s celebrations should be round.
The Filipino New Year’s Eve feast is called Media Noche, meaning “midnight.” Many families serve twelve round fruits, with the circular shape associated with coins and prosperity. The fruits may include oranges, apples, grapes, melons, and other locally available varieties.
The number twelve is commonly connected with the twelve months of the coming year, while roundness represents wealth or fullness. Families do not necessarily choose exactly the same fruits, and practices vary by household, region, and budget. The shape is the consistent symbolic feature.
Media Noche is a family meal held as the old year becomes the new one. Other Filipino customs include making noise, wearing polka dots, and preparing foods believed to encourage abundance. The round-fruit practice is therefore a prosperity tradition, not a rule that every fruit must be the same color or species.