Spain’s traditional name for New Year’s Eve, when crowds gather for midnight celebrations, is Nochevieja.
Nochevieja literally means “old night” and refers to December 31, the final night of the year. Spanish families and friends commonly celebrate with a late meal, televised festivities, fireworks, and the midnight grape tradition associated with the clock in Madrid’s Puerta del Sol.
The term is distinct from Nochebuena, which means Christmas Eve and falls on December 24. It is also different from Día de Reyes, Three Kings’ Day, celebrated on January 6. These nearby dates are all important in Spanish-speaking cultures, which can make their names easy to mix up.
Nochevieja is used especially in Spain, while other Spanish-speaking countries have their own regional customs and vocabulary for the night. The word identifies the date and celebration itself; it does not refer only to the Madrid gathering or to one particular countdown ritual.