New Year’s Eve is seen as a time of miracles and the fulfillment of cherished wishes. Children write letters to Ded Moroz, while adults find their own ways to make their dreams come true. How do you make a New Year’s wish properly, and how can you prepare for it in advance How to Make a New Year’s Wish the Right Way New Year’s Eve is not just about festive dinners and fun—it marks an important milestone, filled with hopes for a fresh start and positive change. From a young age, children make wishes to Ded Moroz, and this tradition often carries over into adulthood. Even the skeptics tend to believe in a little magic on this night. And with good reason.
12 Grapes: Spain’s Midnight Wish Ritual
Every culture has its own unique way of celebrating the New Year. In Spain, this holiday is inseparable from a fascinating tradition: at exactly midnight, people eat 12 grapes, making a wish with each one. Where did this tradition come from, and how do you follow it correctly? Let’s find out.
History of the Tradition
The custom of making wishes by eating grapes began in Spain at the end of the 19th century. There are several versions of how it started. One suggests it was a marketing ploy by winemakers who found a creative way to sell surplus grapes after a particularly good harvest. Another claims it mimicked the Parisian elite, who ate grapes on New Year’s Eve. Over time, this ritual became an integral part of Spanish culture.
The Symbolism of the Number 12
The number 12 represents the twelve months of the year. According to tradition, if you eat grapes with each stroke of the clock at midnight, every month of the new year will be lucky and bring happiness.
How to perform the ritual correctly
To make the ritual work, it’s important to follow a few rules:
- Prepare 12 grapes in advance. The number must be exactly 12 — no more, no less.
- Turn on the TV or radio to follow the live broadcast of the clock chimes from Madrid’s Puerta del Sol, where thousands gather each year.
- Eat one grape with each stroke of the clock, making a wish for each month of the year.
- Try not to rush, but keep up with the pace — you need to finish within the 12 seconds of the chimes.
Modern interpretations
Today, the grape tradition remains, but its format is evolving. For example, some people use raisins, candies, or even olives instead of fresh grapes. The key is to keep the symbolism of the number 12 and hold on to hope for a better future.
What this means for Spaniards
For many Spaniards, this ritual is not only a way to welcome the new year with optimism, but also a chance to gather the whole family around the holiday table. It’s a moment that brings people together and fills their hearts with hope. Try ringing in the New Year Spanish-style — with 12 grapes and heartfelt wishes. Who knows, maybe this tradition will bring you good luck!
How to phrase
Psychologists note that making wishes is beneficial even for those who don’t believe in mysticism at all: it helps us define our dreams and clarify what we want. This process turns a wish into an intention, which can then be broken down into achievable tasks, allowing us to move toward our goals step by step. However, for the wish to have a good chance of coming true in the coming year, it’s important to phrase it correctly: — you should focus on the end result, not on the means of achieving it.
For example, if your goal is to buy a car or go on vacation, that should be your wish. Avoid vague wording like “getting lots of money”—you might get the money, but circumstances may not turn out to favor your trip or your purchase; — make sure to phrase your wish personally for yourself, not for others.
For instance, saying “My husband/my wife will get a promotion at work” is the wrong approach; rephrase it as “My family’s income will increase.” But ideally, it’s best from the start to wish something solely for yourself: “I will get a car,” “I will go to the Maldives,” and so on; — do not make wishes that imply harm to others. Negativity will come back to you; — avoid using words like “must,” “will be,” or “not” in your wish. Instead of “I must get my dream job,” say, “I will get my dream job”; — the phrase “Be careful what you wish for” applies not just to fiction. So your wording should be very precise, with no ambiguity.
For example, it’s not advisable to say: “I will get my dream job at any cost,” because you might actually have to pay that price. It’s better to avoid such expressions, even when used as metaphors. Wishes are meant for honest daydreaming, so try not to use phrases like “at least”—don’t downplay your goals from the start. Instead of saying: “I just want to get any job,” say: “I will get the best job for me.” Also, don’t share your wishes or show them to anyone. Try to formulate your wishes in advance, since New Year’s Eve flies by quickly amid celebrations. Make wishes that are realistic. No one can stop you from dreaming of a trip to Bali, but saying “I want to become a millionaire” with the average Russian salary might not be realistic. It’s better to wish for a career advancement and revisit dreams of millions later.
Despite all the advice, the most important thing is to believe in your dream and visualize how it will come true. There’s no universal formula for making wishes come true, so don’t worry if your wording doesn’t fully follow these tips.
How to make a wish
Ultimately, fulfilling a dream depends entirely on the individual. All wishing rituals aren’t magic—they’re just tools to help clarify and visualize your goals, making it easier to achieve them in the future.
Write it on a piece of paper and burn it
One of the most popular methods. Suitable for making a single, short, heartfelt wish. Write your wish on a piece of paper; at midnight, as the chimes ring, burn the note and drop the ashes into a glass of champagne. As soon as the clock strikes twelve, stir the drink and finish it to the last drop.
Stand on a chair and dream
As the chimes ring in the New Year, stand on a chair, close your eyes, and vividly imagine your wish has already come true. If you dream of traveling abroad, picture yourself strolling through your dream country; if you want a promotion, visualize yourself as the boss, and so on. Before the New Year arrives, try to envision your life as clearly and specifically as possible during or after your dream comes true.
Write a letter to Ded Moroz
Don’t be skeptical about this ritual. It helps you spend more time on your wording, brings back childhood memories, and lets you truly believe anything is possible. There’s no limit to how much you can write—fill up an entire A4 sheet if you want. Put your letter in a festive New Year envelope, seal it, and address it “To Ded Moroz from…”. Hide the letter somewhere you won’t stumble upon it by accident. Next New Year, you can open the envelope to see which wishes came true.
Note in an empty bottle
This method is much like the previous one, but instead of an envelope, you need an empty champagne bottle opened at midnight. Place the note with all your wishes into the bottle, repeating each wish to yourself. Then seal the bottle and store it out of sight.
Wishes Under the Pillow
An excellent option for those who don’t celebrate New Year’s loudly and prefer an early night. Write your wishes on small pieces of paper (one wish per slip), place them under your pillow before New Year’s Eve, and go to sleep. On January 1, without looking, pull out the first slip you find—whichever wish is written on it is the one that will come true in the coming year.
Decorate Your Home with a Symbol of Your Wish
Choose your most cherished wish and pick an item to symbolize it. For example, if you dream of a beach vacation, choose a palm tree as your symbol. Find a matching decoration and display it prominently.
Make a Wish by Candlelight
For this, you need a candle bought especially for the occasion—it’s best if it’s festive and evokes the holiday spirit. When the clock strikes midnight, light the candle and speak your wish over the flame. Let the candle burn down completely.
12 Grapes – This tradition is popular in Spain. Grapes symbolize prosperity, success, and health, which is why they’re used for this ritual. As the clock strikes midnight, you need to eat 12 grapes in time—making a wish to yourself with each one.
8 Oranges This method comes from China. You’ll need 8 oranges without dents or blemishes. Before bringing them into the house, you must toss each orange over the threshold. After that, congratulate yourself on fulfilling your wish and wish yourself continued success. Collect the fruit, wash them, and during the first seven days of the holidays, give one orange each day to a loved one, wishing them their wishes come true. On the eighth day, eat the last orange yourself.
A letter to yourself
On December 31, an hour before the New Year, write a letter to yourself on a sheet of paper. List all your wishes in it and describe what you need to do to make them come true. Put the letter in an envelope and seal it. When the clock strikes midnight, hold the letter in your hands and focus on your desires, then put it away in a safe place.
Leap into the future.
This is a fun ritual for a group of friends. Everyone needs to stand together on a sofa or chairs, hold hands, and jump as high as they can at the same time. After landing, each person should silently say their wish as if it has already come true.
Wish on origami
The very process of folding origami requires deep concentration, which is essential for formulating your wish. You can choose a pattern you like in advance, practice making it, and on New Year’s Eve, while focusing on your dream coming true, fold the paper. Hang the finished ornament on the tree, and after the holidays keep it somewhere out of sight.
A Delicious Ritual
This is perfect for wishes related to travel. At your New Year’s table, serve a national dish from the country you want to visit. It’s important to cook it yourself, and as you prepare it, vividly imagine your journey, plan which places you’ll go, and so on. Make sure to finish the entire dish during the meal—leave no leftovers.
Can You Write Down Your New Year’s Wish in Advance
Many rituals involve making and writing down your wishes before New Year’s arrives, so there’s nothing wrong with doing so. In fact, it helps you phrase everything correctly and avoid mistakes in the festive rush. The most important thing is that no one else should read or hear your wishes; if this does happen, it’s best to write a new list. You can also take time to choose your ritual ahead of time and prepare for it.
If something goes wrong on New Year’s Eve, don’t get upset. Always keep your wishes in mind and help them become reality—that’s possible no matter how precisely you follow the ritual or phrase your dream.
