Media Noche is the Philippine New Year's Eve event associated with displaying 12 round fruits for prosperity.
Media Noche is the midnight meal shared by Filipino families as the old year changes into the new one. The name is Spanish for “midnight,” and the gathering is often treated as a festive reunion involving special dishes, desserts, and symbolic foods.
Round fruits are popular because their shape resembles coins and is therefore linked with prosperity. Twelve fruits are commonly displayed or served, with one representing each month of the coming year. Families may also emphasize foods associated with abundance, sweetness, or long life, although customs differ from household to household.
Media Noche should not be confused with Noche Buena, the Christmas Eve meal celebrated in the Philippines. The two occasions can both involve family feasting, but Media Noche belongs to New Year's Eve and the New Year's transition. The number twelve is symbolic rather than a universal legal or religious requirement.