Twelve round fruits are traditionally displayed for luck at New Year's Eve in the Philippines.
The practice is part of Media Noche, the Filipino midnight feast shared as the old year changes into the new one. The twelve fruits represent the twelve months of the coming year. Their round shape is associated with coins and prosperity, making them a symbolic wish for financial good fortune.
Common choices include apples, oranges, grapes, melons, and other round fruits. Families may arrange them on a table or include them in the festive meal. The precise fruit selection is not fixed, so the important convention is the combination of round shapes and the number twelve.
Media Noche is distinct from Noche Buena, the Christmas Eve meal celebrated in the Philippines. Filipino New Year's customs also include making loud noises and opening doors or windows at midnight, practices traditionally associated with driving away bad luck and welcoming good fortune.