The girlfriend just arrived from the grocery store surprised that there were no grapes in stock. Her surprise was so great, I couldn’t help but wondering what the big deal was. Apparently, she is convinced that there is a tradition of eating 12 grapes at as the clock strikes midnight (to begin the new year). Each grape represents a separate wish for the new year, and is supposed to be eaten with each ring of the bell.
I’ve never heard of this.
So what’s the dope?
… and yes, I would google, but I’m busy cleaning and burning CD’s for late Christmas presents and I’d rather just read the brilliant replies from all the minions.
(she also claims that there is a tradition of wearing yellow undies on new years eve, for good luck. I’m not sure if she’s pulling my chain on this one or not.)
Mrs. Bricker, who is Dominican, and I just got back from the grocery store armed with grapes. I’d never heard of this tradition until I started spending New Year’s in the DR. But yep, they do it there.
One year, I tried to introduce my friends to the alleged Scottish custom of “first footing.” Supposedly, if the first person to cross enter across your threshold is a tall, dark-haired man bearing whisky, all the folks for whom he pours a bit of whisky will have good luck that year.
Well, I’m a tall, dark-haired man, so I had a bottle of distinguished booze out in the car just for that custom. I went out to get it, and when I returned I found that (a) nobody there had heard of the custom, and (b) several of the guests were smashed enough already that they were a little nervous about downing a shot of the straight stuff on top of everything else. That made me wonder if it really was a Scottish custom.