There is a small town in the province of Ávila, Villar de Cornejawho long ago found a unique way to defy time and depopulation. While the rest of Spain waits impatiently for the hour to strike Gate of the Sun As midnight strikes, this town celebrates the chimes twelve hours before. This unique custom allows its inhabitants to celebrate the new year on December 31 at noon, becoming one of the first places on the peninsula to celebrate the change of cycle. Even though we haven’t started the new year yet. The initiative was born in 2004 at the suggestion of the mayor, Carmen Hernández. The reason? The advanced age of the majority of residents, whose average age is around 80 years old. By noon, many neighbors are already resting at home, probably asleep, which prevents them from participating in the midday grape tradition.
What started as a modest idea to facilitate coexistence has become an essential tradition that attracts locals, visitors and even international journalists. Although the town only has around fifteen inhabitants living permanently during the winter, the midday demonstration managed to bring together a considerable crowd. During the last editions, attendance exceeded 80 participants, including families who came from Madrid to share this special moment with their elders. The city’s Plaza de España transforms for a few minutes into a festive epicenter of Christmas in Ávila, decorated with garlands and a vibrant Christmas spirit. Participants come dressed colorful hats, noise makers and other decorationscreating an atmosphere of shared joy to the sound of the sound system.
For many residents, this event is an opportunity to enjoy the chimes that would otherwise be missed due to fatigue or loneliness of the night. The rhythm of the celebration is set, logically, the town hall clockwhose punctuality has been the protagonist of various anecdotes over the years. Sometimes the mechanism suffered delays of up to ten minutes, while on other occasions the bells rang so quickly that the neighbors barely had time to eat the grapes. However, after the necessary repairs, the clock came to announce the arrival of the year with a precision that locals describe as Swiss.
The logistics of the festival are largely the responsibility of the town hall and a group of volunteers who carefully prepare the tables, sometimes on the town hall porch if the weather is not good. Individual bags are arranged with the twelve grapes and trays filled with typical products such as ham, chorizo, cheese and Christmas treats. The toast that follows is preferably prepared with cider, which is the locals’ favorite drink, although bottles of cava and champagne are also uncorked for those present. One of the most endearing moments is observing how the different generations of neighbors and visitors mingle in front of the town hall. Following the instructions, the older children stand in front to play the lead role, while the younger children and children stand behind.
Ultimately, it is a tribute to longevity and a mark of respect to those who have kept the spirit of this city alive. Salamanca. Among the crowd, neighbors usually ask for the New Year health, employment and peace. The success of the appeal has even exceeded the organization’s forecasts in recent years. On one of the busiest days, the mayor prepared grapes for 74 people, but the attendance exceeded 80 participants, so the star of the day was not enough for everyone present. Faced with this unforeseen event, it was promised to increase the number of rations for future editions, ensuring that the growing interest in the event does not leave anyone without its tradition.
Beyond the party, it is still used to send a message of protest to public administrations about the situation in rural areas, a commitment decided by the cities of Castilla y León to prevent them from dying due to lack of social services and aging. Between toast and grapes, requests are made to improve basic infrastructure, such as water supply or the rehabilitation of the municipal square itself. Despite the challenges facing the region, Villar de Corneja demonstrates that imagination can strengthen the social fabric of a small community. The presence of children and babies, some as young as thirteen months, gives new hope for the future of the city and breaks the average age by a few hours.
The mix of visitors from other parts of Spain and the few permanent neighbors creates a great family atmosphere that transcends the figures in the municipal register. At the sound of the last bell at noon and as if it were midnight, the city bursts into kisses, hugs and congratulations for the year which, for them, has already begun. Although official midnight arrives hours later, these neighbors can boast that they said goodbye to the past year before anyone else in our entire geography. This tradition is like a dress rehearsal that becomes the main show, allowing the stage lights not to go out before its most experienced protagonists can enjoy the final big applause.
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