Happy New Year!

Twelve green grapes. Happy New Year! Mystified? Every year as the clock counts down, people in Spain clutch twelve green grapes. Each grape represents one month of the year, and when there are twelve seconds left in the year, everyone starts piling them into their mouths, one per timed chime until the final sound, signifying that the New Year has finally arrived. Sounds easy, but…it’s not. The chimes come at regular intervals and there’s no time to chew and savor the crunchy, juicy fruit. Inevitably, when midnight strikes, there are roomfuls and “plazafuls” of people with bulging cheeks, struggling to chew and swallow their mouthfuls of grapes.

            No one is certain when this tradition started, some believe it started as a result of a bumper crop just over a century ago, and others say it started in the 1800’s as people emulated the New Year’s tradition of champagne and grapes from France. Regardless of its origins and how long it’s actually been practiced, this custom has people chomping and laughing as they race against the New Year’s chimes every year.

            Okay, I have a confession. As a speech-language pathologist (SLP), when I first heard of this, I shuddered because I’ve had more than one consult come my way over the years due to someone choking on a single grape…let alone twelve! However, this longstanding tradition really does sound like a lot of fun, so, I decided to set my SLP self aside and research the ins and outs of this fascinating and unique custom.

            When I perused the internet on this topic, I found all sorts of ways they were arranged for each participant. My favorite was a small, red wire Christmas tree with twelve prongs for the twelve grapes. But, I also learned that the grapes used aren’t just any grape that can be found at the grocery store. Nope, this tradition only uses Aledo grapes which come into season later and are harvested around November-December.

            These grapes are special, not only because they’re a later variety, but because the growers wrap them in paper bags when they bud. Originally, this practice started to protect the delicate buds and fruit from a predatory moth, but growers found that when they did this, it also preserved the aroma, flavor, and color of the grape. But there’s more (and this is where the SLP in me breathes a sigh of relief) the skin is finer and more tender, making them easier to swallow.

            Isn’t this also true of us? If we are the budding grapes, growing and maturing in Christ (the bag), He develops us in such a way that preserves the aroma, flavor, and color of our lives. When we are hidden in Him, allowing Him to be the primary protector, shield, and submitting to His influence and authority in our lives, our lives are sweeter, more fragrant, and more beautiful to those around us. So as we go into this New Year, let’s make a decision to abide in Him, to surrender to Him every day, every week, and every month so our lives will develop in such a way that when people are around us, their senses tell them that we’ve been with Jesus. Happy New Year!      

Koehler, J. “Green Grapes and Red Underwear: A Spanish New Year’s Eve.” National Public Radio, 31 December 2012, Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2012/12/26/168092673/green-grapes-and-red-underwear-a-spanish-new-years-eve.