What is the 'grape theory' for New Year's Eve going viral on TikTok?

The “grape theory” hack for finding love is going viral on TikTok ahead of New Year’s Eve, but what is it and how do you do it?

You might have noticed the “grape theory” across your feed on social media, as people have claimed that doing it has helped them find love and improve their love lives.

What is the “grape theory”?

While it may be new to some, the tradition is actually thought to be centuries old and involves eating 12 grapes when the clock strikes midnight – one for each chime of the clock.

In a TikTok video, Izzy Dwyer posted a video of her eating 12 grapes on New Year’s Eve, followed by a video montage of her blossoming relationship with a guy who became her boyfriend.

Speaking to Metro, Dwyer explained: “I saw on TikTok that it’s meant to bring you luck in your love life and I did it with three friends.

“One had a boyfriend and me and my other friend were single and now we’re both in relationships now too. I guess you could say it had a 100 per cent success rate.”

The now-viral social media trend originates from the Spanish New Year’s Eve tradition known as “uvas de la suerte”, which translates as “the twelve grapes of luck”. The tradition dates back to at least 1895.

How do you do the “grape theory” hack?

To participate in the tradition, you are supposed to eat 12 grapes at midnight on 1 January, one with each chime of the clock, to welcome in the New Year.

It is thought to give the person a year of good luck and prosperity, and each grape and clock strike represents the coming twelve months.

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