Of course there are those that prefer, for a number of different reasons, to celebrate this ritual in the family room at home, in the waiting area of the emergency room, or at the fire station that’s on call for the night, in front of the T.V., which inevitably shows the image of the emblematic center of this fiesta, the reference clock on New Year’s Eve: the clock at the Puerta del Sol in Madrid, kilometer 0 in Spain. The grape ritual is also observed in front of the TV.
The tradition of celebrating New Year’s Eve by eating twelve grapes probably originated in 1909, when Vinalopó grape producers promoted consumption of the fruit due to an overproduction that occurred that year.
After having the twelve grapes, often followed by firework displays, New Year’s festivities continue with celebrations organized by private establishments, or in areas with climates that permit it, parties outside in town squares.
In some places such as Pamplona, Coín (in Malaga), and Nájera (in La Rioja), a special celebration is emerging on New Year’s Eve in which party-goers dress up in costumes, as if it were Carnaval, to say good bye to the old year and to welcome the new.