Why grapes?

This is the first post of the new year and I have been doing some investigation about the tradition of eating 12 grapes at midnight in 31st December every year.
I have discovered that this tradition was started in Murcia, a region in the southern part of Spain. Apparently, the year 1909 was a year of an excellent harvest of grape. In this situation, the vine growers invented the tradition "The twelve grapes of luck". It consists in eating twelve grapes in the first twuelve seconds of the new year, one with every strike of the Puerta del Sol tower clock, and you should ask for a desire while eating each grape. It is said that if you eat all the grapes in time you will have a year full of prosperity.
This tradition has been adopted by other countries all over the world, mainly Latin American countries and other people related with Spanish culture, like Philippines (that country was part of the Spanish Empire). What is more, if the tradition started in 1909, then this year turned 100. So it is a centenary tradition.
I ate my twelve grapes in time, so I hope that this will be a good year.

Welcome 2009!