I usually celebrate New Year's at home with my family and friends. We'll watch the celebration in Times Square on our television, open a bottle of champagne and eat some snacks. In 2013, my best friend Lauren and I actually went to New York City for New Year's Eve in Times Square! Though it was really fun, it was also freezing cold, terribly crowded and we couldn't get close enough to even see the ball drop! On top of all that, the threat of pickpockets in the large crowds I walked through was unnerving.
When planning our winter vacations in Spain, my friend Zoe and I made sure that we would be in Madrid for New Year's Eve so that we could experience the celebrations here. We remember learning about the holiday traditions in our high school Spanish classes, and were excited about the opportunity to actually experience them!
The main part of the Spanish New Year's Eve tradition is buying 12 grapes to eat at midnight. These grapes are called las doce uvas de la suerte (the 12 grapes of luck).
Spain's biggest celebrations happen in Puerta del Sol, Madrid. In the plaza, there's a government building that used to be a large post office. This building includes the famous clock tower of Puerta del Sol.
