In Spain our friends and neighbours will be counting out their 12 grapes and putting the cava on ice in anticipation of the turn of the year at midnight tonight.

Here in Germany, we’ll be having a quiet family night in and hoping that the fire-crackers that are set to explode all over this land at midnight will not wake the grandchildren.

One hour later in the UK, our friends and family there will be linking arms and singing Auld Lang Syne and making their resolutions for 2011 .....

..... while in New South Wales, Australia our relatives will already be sitting down to lunch on New Year’s Day, having seen the New Year in several hours previously!

But wherever you are: Happy New Year! ¡Próspero Año Nuevo! Frohes Neues Jahr!

© Paul Whitelock

Tags: new year, 12 grapes, cava, Auld Lang Syne, resolution, New Year’s Day, Happy New Year, Próspero Año Nuevo, Frohes Neues Jahr, www.a1-solutions-spain.com