Ringing in the New Year in Bilbao- a de Abiega tradition......
The festivities begin with a Spanish tapas style dinner around 10pm and always include 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight (imposed action shot seen here). This is also when you hear/see all the fireworks going off from the neighbor's (and i mean all of them) apartment windows! Typically the parties then start around 2am and you won't find a soul on the street before then. 
followed the next day with our New Years lunch/ Ricardo's Birthday Celebration (Jan 1st!)/ Early Three Kings Celebration - the Spanish do gifts on this holiday rather than Christmas (normally celebrated on Jan 6th)
Wishing you all a Happy 2012!
