Many families in the Philippines eat twelve round fruits on New Year's Eve for prosperity.
The custom is part of Media Noche, the midnight feast that welcomes the new year. The twelve fruits commonly represent the twelve months ahead. Their round shape is associated with coins and wealth, so families may choose fruits such as grapes, oranges, apples, melons, or other round produce.
Practices vary between households, and not every Filipino family follows exactly the same menu or counts exactly twelve kinds. The broader symbolism is consistent: abundance, good fortune, and hope for prosperity in the coming year.
Media Noche is distinct from Noche Buena, the Christmas Eve meal. Other Filipino New Year's customs include making loud noises, displaying polka dots, and preparing foods believed to attract luck. The round-fruit tradition is sometimes confused with Spain's midnight grape custom, but the Philippine practice emphasizes twelve fruits and their coin-like shape rather than twelve chimes alone.