LIST: 12 lucky round fruits for New Year

MANILA, Philippines — Gathering 12 different kinds of round fruits on the dining table on New Year’s Eve has become an annual holiday tradition.

Local fruits, such as guava, melon (cantaloupe), watermelon, santol, lanzones, rambutan and chico, are combined with imported fruits like orange, Fuji apple, grapes, pear, kiwi, persimmon, even fresh cherries. Arranged nicely on a fruit platter or basket, the 12 different kinds of round fruits serve as the centerpiece of the table.

Why do we prepare round fruits and why do we choose 12 kinds for New Year's Eve? It is because the round shape signifies infinity. There is no end. So when good luck or blessings come, they are never ending.

Round fruits are also said to attract good vibes. The round shape also symbolizes money because it is the shape of coins, which people used in trade long before paper money was “invented.”

Having round fruits on the table as the old year gives way to the new one therefore means abundance and good fortune in the family or entire household for the next 12 months. The number “12” represents the 12 months of the year.

“Round” fruits include those that a semi-round, oblong, slightly elongated, with slight protrusions or indentations on one or both sides. Even the banana is considered as a round fruit that can be added to your New Year’s fruit basket.

Good round fruits to choose from include the following:

• Apple
• Orange/Ponkan/Kiatkiat
• Watermelon
• Melon or cantaloupe
• Mango
• Papaya
• Pear
• Calamansi
• Lemon
• Grapes
• Banana
• Persimmon
• Kiwi fruit
• Pineapple
• Cherries
• Longans
• Peaches
• Pomelo
• Guava
• Santol
• Lanzones
• Dragonfruit
• Chico

Assemble your fruit basket now so you don’t have to rush on New Year’s Eve. Have a happy and prosperous new year!

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