Why Are We Obsessed with Eating 12 Grapes Under the Table?
If you opened social media earlier this year, you probably saw countless videos of people squeezing themselves under the dining table with a small bowl of grapes at 11:59PM. On the outside, this trend looks chaotic, funny, and oddly sweet. But now we wonder: why are we persistent on eating 12 grapes under the table?
Retracing its Origins
Eating 12 grapes at midnight is actually a centuries-old superstition from Spain. Known as “Las doce uvas de la suerte,” or “the twelve lucky grapes,” each grape symbolizes good fortune for each month of the upcoming year.
TikTok, especially the WitchTok subcommunity, recently revived this tradition, modernizing it and making it go viral. Similarly, many Filipinos have participated in this trend, where we take New Year rituals and “pamahiin” very seriously.
Why Under the Table?
Ironically, the Spanish custom does not mention tables at all! The latter half of the trend is believed to come from Latin American, specifically Peruvian, practices. For them, hiding under a table during New Year is linked to attracting love or finding your soulmate.
This variation was then blended with the grape tradition, creating the trend that is both funny and endearing for hopeless romantics.
There Are Rules?
When eating 12 grapes under the table, some follow an unspoken set of rules:
- Eat 12 grapes
- At 12 midnight
- Within 12 seconds
- While thinking of 12 wishes
That is a lot of dozens to remember! But to be honest, most Filipinos just do whatever feels right to them. They still eat 12 grapes while sitting, standing, or huddling under the table for that extra “kilig.”
As for what grapes to eat, any color works! It just so happens that green grapes are more common in groceries; hence, they are being consumed more in the trend.
READ: 3 Healthy Habits to Start the New Year
Eating 12 grapes under the table may look funny. But many see it as a meaningful way to set intentions and ring in the New Year with hope. Moreover, remember that it is more than just luck; it is the choices you make that will make or break your 2026.
