Back home, Vy meticulously separated exactly 12 grapes, arranging them on a plate. Her plan was to crawl under a table at midnight on 1/1/2026 and eat all the grapes within 36 seconds.

"Single for seven years, I find this trend interesting and want to try it to motivate myself. I hope next year brings a flourishing love life and smooth career progression", the office worker shared.

A customer selecting a "12 wish grapes combo" at a supermarket in An Khanh ward, Ho Chi Minh City. *Ngoc Ngan*

Vy is not alone in performing this ritual. In the days leading up to New Year's Day, the "eating 12 grapes" (Las doce uvas de la suerte) trend, a Spanish custom for good luck, combined with "sitting under the table", a Latin American belief for finding love, has surged on social media. The hashtag "12grapes" alone garnered about 5 million views on TikTok in the last three days of 2025, becoming a trending search on the platform. Several celebrities announced their participation and shared personal experiences, further amplifying the trend's reach.

Capitalizing on this youth trend, several supermarkets and retail stores seized the opportunity to meet demand. A survey by VnExpress in Ho Chi Minh City revealed that retail chains such as Kingfood, Aeon Mall, and imported fruit stores launched "12-grape combo" products, pre-packaged for New Year's Eve, priced from 50,000 to 120,000 VND depending on the variety.

At a fruit store in An Khanh ward, pre-packaged 12-grape peony sets, priced at 99,000 VND, "sold out" by the afternoon of 30/12. A store representative noted, "Three days before New Year's Eve, noticing high customer demand driven by the TikTok trend, we broke down large bunches for individual packaging. Our primary customers are young people and office workers."

Hoang Tri, 26, from Tay Thanh ward, Ho Chi Minh City, recently spent 120,000 VND on a small box of Ruby Roman grapes. Introduced to the trend by his girlfriend last year, Tri continues the practice this year with a different perspective. "I don't overly expect miracles, but pausing to eat each grape and reflect on 12 wishes for my family and health helps me enter the new year with a more positive mindset", Tri stated.

Hoang Tri selecting grapes at a supermarket in Tay Thanh ward, Ho Chi Minh City, on the afternoon of 31/12. *Provided by subject*

Explaining the trend's appeal, Le Anh Tu, a lecturer at the University of Economics and Finance Ho Chi Minh City (UEF), views it as an entertaining cultural adaptation. This reflects the role of marketing communication in introducing and spreading foreign cultural trends in Vietnam. Originating from social media, the trend gained a synergistic effect due to celebrity participation and the responsiveness of retail businesses.

Compared to last year, Tu observes that this trend has flourished more this year, with many supermarkets and stores actively selling pre-packaged 12-grape combos. This indicates the trend has been adopted by Vietnamese consumers for some time and is gradually being commercialized.

"If this trend continues to be promoted by celebrities or on social media every New Year's Eve, I believe the number of participants will gradually increase each year, evolving into a festive consumer culture rather than remaining merely a social media trend", Tu concluded.

However, the expert advises young people to view this as a fun, symbolic activity for relieving year-end psychological pressure. They should avoid excessive expectations or "sanctifying" its meaning.

Ngoc Ngan