The 12 grape theory refers to the idea that having 12 grapes, one at each strike of the clock at midnight, brings forth the new year and brings people luck. The theory is actually a century-and-a-half-old tradition from Spain, called the 'Las doce uvas de la suerte' or, as it is translated in English, 'The Twelve Grapes of Midnight'. It is also known as the 'lucky grapes' tradition.The tradition's earliest roots date back to the late 19th century, with the first mention of it being from the city of Madrid. A newspaper article from the city in 1896 is one of the earliest publicly mentioned accounts of it still available. The tradition started with the upper-class people of the city who adopted French traditions of drinking champagne and wine. However, it was popularized by Alicantese vine growers around the year of 1909.Traditionally, there are two variations of the tradition, with one taking place at home after Nochevieja ( New Year's Eve) dinner with family. The other takes place around city squares. The tradition has spread from Spain to several other countries in Latin America, including Argentina, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, as well as Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. The tradition has also been recorded in the Philippines. The tradition has also spread to the Latin American communities in the US.The 12 Grapes tradition has become popular among netizens, with influencers such as TikToker Becca Bloom having previously engaged with the tradition publicly.More on the 12 grape theoryEach of the twelve grapes in the 12 grape theory represents the hopes and wishes of the person eating them for the coming year. Successfully eating them before the New Year arrives brings good fortune, while failing to do so grants ill fortune.Tradition dictates that the grapes that are to be had for the 12 grape theory are the grapes from the Vinalopó valley in central Alicante, as per NPR. The grapes are protected by the Denominación de Origen status, a system of labeling used by the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.The grapes are wrapped in bags of paper to allow the formation of finer flesh and skin since they do not have to fight the weather. The paper bagging tradition itself originates from the era of the plague of cochylis vine moths and the need to protect the grapes from it in the 19th century.เจเอ๊บ @jf_fernnLINKTonight I’m going to eat 12 lucky grapes under the desk for good luck I was afraid I wouldn’t finish them all in one minute, so I made this wish list for myself and decided to share it with you guysLet’s get luckier together.Markets across the world have adapted to this tradition, with markets across the world now selling cans or packs of 12 grapes specifically for usage in the tradition. The tradition has evolved from its origins into several offshoots, the original version described above, as well as the newer tradition of sitting under the table while having the grapes.There is also the tradition of dropping a gold ring into the glass of Cava, a local Spanish drink similar to Champagne. One must not swallow the ring while having the drink, since that would bring bad luck. After the eating of 12 grapes, the rest of the New Year celebration continues, with the eating of traditional almond-based sweets like the turrón. As per the ABC, the tradition of eating twelve grapes for luck is accompanied by other traditions, such as wearing yellow underwear for luck and red underwear for luck in love.