That’s right, I lied on my last post (or not so last post as it seems). The last post of the year would have been more accurate. New year, new fruits to learn about and explore. And what better way to kick of the first post of the year than exploring New Year’s fruit traditions from different cultures?
There are so many cultures that have developed New Year’s traditions revolving around food, and perhaps unsurprisingly, the number twelve seems to be a common theme as well.
In Spain, when the clock chimes twelve to ring in the New Year, Spaniards traditionally eat twelve grapes, one for each toll of the bell and for each month of the year. Supposedly, this tradition became widespread during the early twentieth century due to an excellent harvest which required farmers to sell more grapes than usual. Over time, it turned into the belief that eating the “Twelve Grapes” would bring in good luck and prosperity for the new year, and idea that has spread to other Spanish-speaking countries and places with heavy Spanish influence such as the Philippines. 
In the Philippines, however, the tradition doesn’t necessarily stick to grapes. It is yearly tradition to welcome the new year with twelve round fruits, which leaves a lot more room for improvisation that the “Twelve Grapes”. According to some, round fruits symbolize money and having twelve symbolizes the complete year. Different fruits have different connotations. Apples symbolize peace and harmony, pomelos symbolize smooth sailing, pineapples bring good fortune, and oranges bring the gift of gold.
Oranges in New Year’s celebrations aren’t limited to the Philippines, they’re a big part of celebrations and feasts in China too! Oranges, tangerines, and kumquats are common bec
ause of the belief that they are believed to bring good luck and happiness. Not only does the color of these fruits symbolize prosperity, but the words for them in Chinese are similar to the words for “wealth” and “luck”.
But citrus isn’t the only family of fruit to have its place in a Chinese New Year’s celebration. It is tradition to eat “Eight Treasure Rice” and have a “Tray of Togetherness”. The treasures in Eight Treasure Rice are none other than fruits! Plums, jackfruit, and raisins are just some of the delightful surprises you’ll find in your dessert, which, by the way, represents sweetness for the year ahead. The Tray of Togetherness represents peace and harmony and contains dried fruits and candies, such as strawberries, which, to be honest, sounds delicious.
Lastly, in Turkey, the New Year is welcomed by smashing pomegranates on one’s doorsteps. Pomegranates in Turkish culture i
n general symbolize new beginnings, so it’s no wonder the fruit plays a part in New Year’s celebrations as well. Pomegranates also symbolize fertility, prosperity, and abundance, which by now we can see is a common theme with wishes for the New Year.
Fruits are more than just delicious morsels to savor during the seasons, they’ve become an integral and important part of many traditions beyond New Year’s celebrations all across the world. Take some time to eat some fruit today, and although it’s a little late, bring in as much health, wealth, and good fortune into this new year as possible, cause we definitely need it!
Hi Nandini,
I greatly enjoyed learning about New Year’s traditions all over the world and how fruits, things available in every country and culture, play a role. Reading about the Tray of Togetherness and it’s inclusion of candies definitely made me want to eat some sweet strawberries. I think you did a nice job of exploring both western and eastern cultures and expanding my view of New Year’s beyond just the United States. I didn’t bother to make a resolution this year, but you’ve got me thinking that a good goal could be including more fruits in my diet—specifically citrus and berries. By far my favorite tradition has to be smashing pomegranates on doorsteps in Turkey: I can just imagine how fun (and messy) it could be to smash one open and splash the juice everywhere. Thank you for broadening my horizons!
This topic is such a neat idea! Your first post is also very appropriate considering that the year has just begun and New Year’s celebrations occurred not too long ago. I’m excited to keep up with reading this because of how much I enjoy learning about traditions that occur in cultures around the globe. I have never heard of the idea of eating twelve grapes or other cultural food symbols in order to ensure that the coming year is prosperous. I have only heard of eating pork, which does not sound as enticing as healthy fruits. The “Tray of Togetherness” and the smashing of pomegranates specifically captured my attention because of their deep symbolic meaning. A tray combining several different types of delicacies is a wonderful image of harmony, and after my initial shock, smashing pomegranates also seems like a great way to bring in the new year.
Wow I honestly knew of none of these customs before reading this, so I’m glad to have gotten the chance to be educated! I was completely unaware of these fun fruit facts from all over the world, and it kind of makes me sad that I never grew up with any parallel tradition because it seems like a cool constant to look forward to. The photo that you included of the 12 grapes in the champagne glass as the clock is striking midnight in the background is such a perfect demonstration of this New Year’s tradition, and definitely helped to pull it all together in a picture. I think they are all great, but if I had to choose, my favorite tradition would probably be that of the Philippines. I love how they have deeper meanings for each fruits that you can use, and I think that just elevates this one above the others because there is so much thought and possibility that goes into it. I really like this series and I’m looking forward to learning more!