Author Archives: Kelly Girskis

New Years + Grapes Spain

“In Spain, at midnight of New Year’s Eve, eat one grape each time the clock strikes the 12 chimes.”

My aunt, a high school Spanish teacher who has traveled to Spain tens of times, observed this tradition when she was in Spain this past new year.

According to her, every time the clock strikes a chime at 12, midnight at the turn of the year one eats a grape.  12 grapes in 12 seconds. She says that the grapes are for good luck and good fortune in the new year.  She describes that some peel the skin or remove seed ahead of time, while others just eat the grapes skin and seeds included.  My aunt heard that this began when a grape company had excess grapes and crafted this ploy to rid them of their excess about 100 years ago.  The grape eating continued the year after and the rest is history.  I am not sure if this is the true origin, but the metafolklore is intriguing nonetheless.

I find this tradition interesting because their is folklore surrounding the origin of the folk tradition.  I agree that the grapes represent good luck and prosperity in the new year, although it is a lot of grape eating in a short amount of time!

Spanish Finger counting

“When Spanish speakers count on their hand they begin with the thumb then index, middle, ring, and little.”

My aunt often jokes about the way Spanish speakers count.  As opposed to the way my aunt, raised in Michigan, counts by starting with her index, then middle, ring, little, and finally thumb to complete the five.

It is interesting that counting works differently around the world and even associated with languages themselves.

My aunt nor I have a good answer for why the Spanish count this way, but it must be passed down through the generations or taught unconsciously in school by Spanish raised teachers.  It is intriguing that not only the words for the numbers are different but also the movement of counting differs.

Spanish Birthday Song

Spanish Birthday Sonf – “Las Mañanitas”

Éstas son las mañanitas que cantaba el rey David

a las muchachas bonitas, te las cantamos a ti.

Despierta, mi bien, despierta, mira que ya amaneció,

ya los pajarillos cantan, la luna ya se metió.

Translation:

These are the early morning birthday songs

that Kind David used to sing

to pretty girls, and so we sing them to you.

Wake up, my dear, wake up, look, dawn has already come,

the little birds are singing, the moon is gone.

My aunt, a high school spanish teacher who has traveled to tens of Spanish speaking countries, told me of this song she first heard in Spain 10 years ago.  Every birthday, this is a popular song to sing in not only Spain, but many Spanish speaking countries.  According to my aunt, every Spanish speaking country has this song associated with the birthday celebration.

She claims she does not know the origin of the song and admits she does not know why King David is included in a birthday song.  She did say that this song is often sung around when the birthday cake is brought out, and that the song reminds the birthday boy or girl or their mother’s love and how special they really are.  My aunt also recalls that there are several different versions and verses, but above is the one she remembers the most.  This song can be sung at various celebrations other than birthdays, as well, such as anniversaries and weddings or can include mariachi instruments.

I thought this was a wonderful song to sing on one’s birthday.  It has a great message that one is loved and cherished by their family and reminds them that today is their special day to celebrate.

“Guys finger, Girls blow”

“Guys finger, girls blow”

While playing the drinknig game beerpong with some college-aged co-eds and a house party, I witnessed a girl blowing into the red cup while a ping-pong ball was circling the opening but not yet touching the beer inside the cup.  When I questioned what she was doing, my friend Adam stepped in.  He said “Umm.. duh… guys finger, girls blow.”  He went on to explain that “If a ball circles the cup… but doesn’t hit the beer… You try to get the ball out.  You know.. Girls can blow into the cup and we can use our fingers to knock it out.”

I further witnessed Adam using a flicking like method later in the game to remove a circling ping-pong ball from the cup.  This is clearly a game rule specific to this group of co-eds.  Adam explained the sexual connotation of the rule relating differing sexual acts of females versus males.

I suppose this rule is found humorous due to  the resemblance of sexual acts, which in such a setting, such as a house party with college co-eds, seems natural and flirtatious.  I agree with my informant that this rule does elude to sexual behaviors and further denotes the males from the females interacting in the drinking game.

Mexican Piñata Song

When children break a piñata, the participants sing a particular song:

“Cuando niños van a romper una piñata, ellos cantan:

Dale, dale, dale                    Hit it, hit it, hit it

no pierdas el tino.               Don’t lose your skill.

Mide la distancia                 Measure the distance

que hay en el camino.      Between you and the piñata.


Hay otra versión de la canción:                                   (first 2 lines are the same)

Porque si lo pierdes        Because if you lose it

pierdes el camino.       You’ll lose the way.”

My Aunt, a high school Spanish teacher who has traveled to tens of Spanish speaking countries, often sings this song at her birthday celebrations and I had her send me the lyrics and translation.  Although the song and game are usually played by young children in Mexico, but not in Spain or South America according to my aunt.  The lyrics almost directly instruct the player how to play the piñata game.  Instructing the player to hit the piñata, calculate the distance to it, and do their best to aim.

Overall this is a fun tradition to break the piñata and have the candy flow out on a birthday celebration.  The game appears to have made its way to the United States, but I have yet to hear a song instructing the players how to win in the English language.  I find it interesting that the game has crossed the border, but the song has not.  Piñatas can be found at a variety of party stores around the United States and are often associated with Mexican themed birthdays, fiestas, or Cinco de Mayo celebrations.  I enjoy that a fun party game has transcended borders, allowing Americans to partake in Mexican festivities and spreading the culture further.