<P> The Twelve Grapes (Sp . Las doce uvas de la suerte, "The twelve grapes of luck") is a Spanish tradition that dates back from at least 1895 but became established in 1909 . In December of that year, some alicantese vine growers popularized this custom to better sell huge amounts of grapes from an excellent harvest . </P> <P> The tradition consists of eating a grape with each bell strike at midnight of December 31 . According to the tradition, that leads to a year of prosperity . In some areas, it is believed that the tradition wards away witches and general evil, although this "magic" is treated like an old heritage, and in modern days it's viewed as a cultural tradition to welcome the new year . </P> <P> There are two main places where people gather to take the grapes . With family after the dinner, or in the main squares around the country, the Puerta del Sol in Madrid being the most famous place to do it . </P> <P> The twelve grapes are linked to the Puerta del Sol tower clock, where this tradition started and from where the change of year is always broadcast . </P>

How did the tradition of eating 12 grapes at new years start