New year’s eve otherwise known as nochevieja or año nuevo, is a big deal in Mexico; from the more recent celebrations that have begun to catch on with younger generations to the traditional and ritualistic efforts many will indulge in to guarantee good luck, good fortune and good health, amongst other things, there are tons of ways to ring in the new year like a local. Here’s everything you need to know about año nuevo in Mexico.

Eat 12 grapes in 60 seconds

Perhaps the most famous Hispanic New Year’s Eve ritual is the eating of 12 grapes and making of 12 wishes during the 60 second countdown to midnight. Easy, you say? Well, let’s hope so, because if you successfully eat your 12 grapes before midnight, it’s said that your 12 wishes will come true and you’ll have good luck throughout the upcoming year. This is a tradition most heavily associated with Spain, as it developed out of a Catalan New Year’s Eve ritual, but it’s also popular in Mexico.

Have a late dinner

Mexicans are known for having a late eating schedule as it is, given that lunch is traditionally the largest meal of the day and dinner is more akin to a light snack. However, they go one better on New Year’s Eve, often not sitting down to eat until around 11pm. If you really want to celebrate like a local, you need to stave off those hunger pangs until late in the evening, so you can really enjoy the turkey, cod, pork or pozole that’s dished out before the new year. Wash everything down with a traditional fruit punch (ponche) or eggnog (rompope).

Toast at midnight and put a gold ring in your drink

It’s common to ring in the New Year with a glass of something sparkling and alcoholic in hand. As soon as the clock strikes midnight, the chinking of glasses will ring out from bars, restaurants and homes across the country. However, for a bit of added good luck, it’s said that dropping a gold ring into your bubbly before saying ‘¡salud!’ (cheers!) will bring you good fortune in the upcoming year.

Burn your negative thoughts

While the writing of propósitos, or resolutions, is just as common a ritual in Mexico as it is in many other countries, there is also the tradition of purifying your negative thoughts and bad energy before the start of a new year. This is done by compiling a list of everything bad that’s going on in your life, or of everything bad that happened over the past year, and then burning it. Legend states that this ensures the bad vibes won’t come back to haunt you.

Go out to celebrate and watch the fireworks

Unlike Mexican Christmas, which is firmly a family celebration, New Year’s Eve is one that is increasingly becoming something you celebrate with friends in a bar, restaurant or public square. That’s not to say you can’t drag your parents along with you though! Either way, if you are spending New Year’s Eve in Mexico, you’ll undoubtedly be spoiled for choice regarding places to catch some fireworks and grab a drink and have a dance.

Wishing you beautiful moments, treasured memories and blessings a heart can now. Happy new year from all our staff.