The most common superstitions that people in Alicante use to have good luck in 2026

Eating 12 grapes to the sound of the midnight chimes, one for each month of the next year, is the most firmly entrenched tradition in all of Spain. This is extremely popular in Alicante.

Alicante is getting ready for New Year’s Eve , which is full of customs, superstitions, and minor rituals that families and friends do to start the new year with luck, love, and success.

Advertisements

1. One grape for each month, for a total of twelve
   Eating 12 grapes to the sound of the midnight chimes, one for each month of the next year, is the most deeply entrenched tradition in all of Spain. It is also highly common among the people of Alicante. The idea is to provide good luck for the next 12 months. At least since the late 1800s, grape producers in Alicante and Murcia who had extra grapes encouraged people to eat them on New Year’s Eve. This practice, called the twelve fortunate grapes, quickly spread throughout Spain.

Many families and homes also maintain the tradition of preparing grapes without seeds or even peeling them to make the ritual easier and avoid problems, as eating them on time can be very hard.

2. A red object for love
   A common superstition, especially among more traditional individuals, is to wear red pants on New Year’s Eve. Red stands for love, passion, and energy. People think that wearing something red, especially if it is new or a present, will bring love and good luck all year long.
3. The ring in the cup means health, love, and wealth.
   A lot of people in Alicante also do a tiny ritual during their toast celebration: they put a gold ring in their glass of cava before the midnight toast. People say that drinking the cava with the ring in it (without ingesting it, of course) brings wealth and good luck.
4. Other things that bring good luck
   Some of the ways that many people in Alicante celebrate New Year’s Eve are with grapes, red pants or a ring in a glass.

A symbolic way to bring in good energy at the start of the year.

Wearing something new or giving it as a gift the day before is a way to show that you care about yourself or someone you love.

5. A blend of fun and tradition
   Many people from Alicante don’t take these traditions seriously; instead, they enjoy them with a sense of humour and community. There is a lot of laughter, glasses of cava, and talk about whether “this year we’ll actually finish the grapes before the clock strikes midnight” as family and friends get together. Some people even give tips on how to eat all twelve grapes without choking, in between sips and toasts.

Alicante is getting ready to say goodbye to 2025 and hello to 2026 with the perfect blend of popular culture, holiday cheer, and hopes for a prosperous new year.

Happy New Year from everyone at Costa Blanca Daily.

Author: Derek Appleton