How New Year's Eve is celebrated in Spain

In Spain , New Year's Eve is a special time filled with fun, tradition and joy. The celebration begins with a family dinner, which usually starts around 22:00 and lasts until midnight. This dinner is called "Nochevieja" or "Cañasonce" (Canya is a province in northern Spain) and is attended by close friends and relatives.

One of the main traditions on this evening is the eating of 12 grapes in the last 12 seconds before midnight, preceded by a wish. It brings good luck for every month of the year. After that, midnight comes, and an extravaganza of fireworks, glowing rockets, and festive lights erupts in the sky.

Many Spaniards choose to celebrate New Year's Eve in Madrid's Puerta del Sol, where crowds gather to celebrate midnight in an atmosphere of general excitement. The traditional TV show "Las Uvas" is broadcast there, and together with those in the square, millions of Spaniards follow the event on television.

After midnight, the party begins, which can last until the morning. Many bars and clubs host special New Year's Eve events with live music and dancing. At this time, the streets are filled with laughter, music and fun, and the cities are transformed into real festive carnivals.

Traditional New Year's Eve dishes in Spain include "turron" (sweet almond nougat), "polvorones" (shortbread) and, of course, glasses of sparkling wine "savervino" for toasts in honor of the New Year.

During New Year's Eve in Spain , many cities come alive with street parades and musical performances. In Barcelona, for example, the Caballé del Brut carnival is held with dances, costumes and music, while in Valencia, fireworks and fireworks are popular, illuminating the sky over the port.

However, the celebration is not limited to just the night. January 1 is traditionally celebrated in Spain as "St. Helena's Day" (Día de Santa Elena), when families come together to enjoy lunch and continue the festive entertainment.

Another interesting tradition is a visit to the "Parliaments of Goats" (Las Parlamentas de los Cojos) in the city of Alcalá de Henares, where people in costumes discuss funny and frivolous decisions, predicting what will happen in the new year.

In several regions of Spain, there is also a tradition of swimming in the sea on January 1. It is called the "Bathing on the First of January" (Baño del Primer Día del Año) and is considered a symbol of purification and renewal, bringing good luck and health for the year that is just beginning.

Thus, New Year's Eve in Spain is not only a time for fun and celebrations, but also a period filled with unique traditions that unite people in joyful anticipation of new opportunities and happiness.