Literary Toast and Writer’s Foibles: Five New Year’s Eve Rituals for Writing, Publishing, and Traveling with Your Next Novel.
From the twelve grapes to gold in the glass, the author reveals her fun and functional New Year’s Eve rituals, transforming classic superstitions into creative promises so that her second novel, following *Ladrona de Naranjas*, is born with passion and good luck in the New Year.
By Lidia Roselló
HoyLunes – When December 31st arrives, everyone has their quirks: the twelve grapes, red underwear, putting a gold ring in the cava glass, or taking suitcases out the door to travel a lot in the coming year. I’ve always thought that these rituals have something of a novel about them: they are symbols, scenes that we repeat because they make us believe that, in some way, we are writing our destiny.
And of course, as a writer, it’s impossible for me not to invent my own literary versions.
This year, between toasts and chimes, I want to perform a special ritual to welcome my second novel, the one that comes after ‘Ladrona de naranjas’. Because writing is work, yes, but a bit of superstition and humor never hurts. Shall we do them together?
The Best Rituals for Female Writers
I propose five rituals we can perform on December 31st so that our novels come with an extra bit of help next year.
The Ritual of the Lost Chapter Grapes
They say every grape brings luck. I prefer to think that every grape is a finished chapter. Twelve grapes, twelve chapters that I commit to writing, revising, or editing in the new year.
Spoiler: there will probably be more, but the grape toast always reminds me that a story is built bite by bite. Also, my grapes are peeled and seedless; it’s something I can’t avoid.
The Gold in the Glass… or the Pen in the Glass
The classic ritual is to put a gold ring in the cava glass to attract abundance. Well, my version is cooler: put a feather (a symbol of writing, not a literal one—you might choke) or, at least, toast while looking at the reflection of your book in the glass. This way, I feel that my characters are celebrating with me and that the new novel starts the year among bubbles.
The Shoe with a Secret
You know that some people keep money in their shoe to attract wealth. I invite you to keep a small piece of paper with the provisional title of the new novel. This way, I start the year walking on it, as if every step brought me a little closer to publication.
I did it half-jokingly with ‘Ladrona de naranjas’, and here we are: the novel is published. I am not going to tempt fate and let it pass now.
Suitcases at the Door
Many people take their suitcase out to travel a lot in the new year. I also put a notebook and a pen inside. I don’t just want to travel: I want to travel by writing, because the best story always begins when you leave home… and when you dare to put it on paper.
Red Underwear… but with Ink
The classic way to attract love is to wear red underwear. How about we inaugurate a new notebook with red ink? It’s my way of telling the year: here I come with passion, with fire, and with the desire to put my heart into every page.
This 2026, I want it to be filled with new pages, with characters that surprise me, and with readers who find a little piece of themselves in my stories. I hope this is the year my second novel, after *‘Ladrona de Naranjas’*, sees the light. And above all, may it be a year in which hope, passion, and the magic of writing accompany all of us.
I would love to know: what ritual are you going to do to get your story started in the new year? Shall we do one together? Or all of them… Because here in La Habitación Naranja we are a little bit superstitious 😉
Happy 2026.
#hoylunes, #lidia_roselló, #habitación_naranja,
