Spanish New Year Countdown

Have you ever imagined people count down for new year before it actually happens? Ok read on.
So I am just about to prepare for bed and Manu msns me saying that there is a party in the laundry room in Lappis. I am not very sure what he means by a party this time and the laundry room. I am not sure if my english has totally lost it or he is making jokes again. So I go out to his room. He opens the door all dressed up and says yeah people are counting down for new years in the laundry room now.

Ok then, the time has really past by fast since I have not noticed that tonight is new years eve. Then he tells me that we have to go count down with the crazy spanish crowd in the laundry room.
Then I realize that the countdown is just symbolic and not so much for the new years. You know, spaniards just like to find excuses to party.

So I go with Manu to the laundry room and everyone is there! They have a laptop set up for the event and are giving out grapes. The spanish tradition to count down is to eat a grape every second for the last 10 seconds of the countdown. So here it goes, 10,9,8....1 There is actually a countdown for last year's Spanish TV program on the laptop and every second is recognized by a ring of a bell somewhere in Spain. After the countdown, everyone greets each other with joy and hugs. Too bad I don't know that many Spanish girls so can't get that many warm hugs.