Twelve Grapes at Midnight
B1 · Reading: Reading for information · Traditions
📝 Rosa’s blog post — plan, two drafts and feedback
Plan: Hook → a question or a funny moment · What is it? (12 grapes, 12 chimes, Puerta del Sol) · Where does it come from? (early 1900s, big grape harvest — maybe!) · How to do it (steps) · My story (Grandma, 2019) · Ending: invite readers to try it
In Spain we eat twelve grapes at New Year. You eat one on each chime of the clock. People watch the clock in Madrid on TV. It started in the 1900s. It is difficult. I tried it with my family. It was funny. You should try it.
Could You Eat Twelve Grapes in Twelve Seconds?
Picture this: it’s 11.59 p.m. on 31 December, your whole family is staring at the TV, and you’re holding twelve grapes in your hand like they’re the most important thing in the world. Welcome to New Year’s Eve in Spain!
What is it? At midnight, the big clock in Puerta del Sol in Madrid strikes twelve times, and the whole country eats one grape on each chime. If you finish all twelve before the last chime, you’ll have good luck every month of the new year. The countdown is broadcast live on TV, so millions of people do it at exactly the same time.
Where does it come from? Nobody is completely sure. One popular story says that in the early 1900s, farmers had a huge grape harvest and needed to sell it fast. Whether that’s true or not, the tradition stuck.
How to do it: First, buy small, seedless grapes — trust me on this. Then, count out exactly twelve. As soon as the first chime rings, put one in your mouth. Chew fast, swallow, and repeat. Finally, when the last chime rings, hug everyone and shout “¡Feliz Año Nuevo!”
My story: In 2019, my grandmother was laughing so much that she only managed four grapes. She says it was still her luckiest year.
Over to you: will you try it this New Year? Tell me how many you managed!
Mrs Hill: Rosa, draft 1 has the facts, but it reads like a list, and the reader never feels the excitement. Draft 2 is a real blog post. The title is a question that challenges the reader, and “Picture this” puts us right in your living room. The short sections with headings make it easy to follow, the step-by-step instructions are clear, and your grandmother’s story makes us smile. The ending invites readers to join in. Excellent work.
Vocabulary
- chime — the ringing sound of a clock or bell
- countdown — counting backwards to an important moment
- swallow — make food go down your throat
- seedless — with no seeds
- broadcast — show on TV or radio
- harvest — the time when crops are collected; the crops
- hook — an interesting first line that makes people read on
- reader — a person who reads something
Sample questions (13 questions)
- What is the main problem with draft 1?
- It has wrong facts.
- It reads like a list, and the reader doesn’t feel the excitement.
- It is too long.
- According to the tradition, what happens if you eat all twelve grapes in time?
- You win a prize.
- You can make twelve wishes.
- You will have good luck every month of the year.
- Why does Rosa write “Whether that’s true or not”?
- She isn’t sure the story about the harvest is true.
- She thinks the tradition is fake.
- She wants readers to guess.
Answers and hints from Migo appear when you do it online.