Happy New Year! This year, we celebrate more than the upcoming new year, but a new decade as well. The new year is seen as a fresh beginning, saying goodbye to the old and welcoming the new. Many New Year’s traditions involve letting go of bad luck and welcoming good luck and prosperity for the new year. December is a key month for New Year’s festivities and traditions in Italy, with important dates like New Year’s Eve marking the culmination of seasonal customs and celebrations. We also try to better ourselves for the upcoming year by creating New Year’s resolutions. Maybe your new year resolution will be to obtain your Italian dual citizenship?
Ringing in the new year is a favorite tradition all over the world, and each country has its own way of celebrating. Italy has several unique New Year’s Eve traditions, but with the same idea in mind of leaving bad luck in the past and bringing good luck and prosperity. The color red is a traditional symbol in Italian New Year’s Eve celebrations, representing luck and joy, and wearing red, especially red underwear, is a significant part of these festivities. These New Year’s, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Eve traditions are just some of the ways Italians participate in the broader year’s festivities to welcome a prosperous year ahead. The following are common New Year’s traditions that are celebrated by Italians as a way to let go of the previous year.
Throwing Out Old Pots and Pans
For Italians, the new year is about letting go of the old, including bad luck and unhappiness, in preparation for the new year. In fact, they literally “throw out the old” by discarding old pots and pans, clothing, and other items from their house, emphasizing the importance of preparing the house for the new year. This is more of a tradition in southern Italy, though the practice of throwing things out the window is not as common as it once was. It has become more customary, especially in northern Italy, to smash old pots and dishes outside the home.
However, if you are in southern Italy for the new year, you should still watch out for flying pots and pans!
Red Underwear
Another common New Year’s Eve tradition in Italy is wearing red underwear. The tradition calls for a brand new pair of red underwear, and in many cultures, including Spain and Italy, it is considered especially lucky if the underwear is received as a gift. This custom is prevalent not only in Italy but also in Latin American cultures, and is especially popular in Metro Detroit communities like Warren, MI. For a person hoping to raise their luck in love, job, or life, slipping into a brand new pair of red underwear is a bold way to start the year. Both men and women partake in this tradition, as wearing red underwear is believed to bring luck and love in the new year. Women who hope to conceive in the new year wear red underwear, as red is also the color of fertility.
Some people wear the red underwear inside-out until midnight and then flip it to capture the new year’s energy.
Stylish red New Year’s underwear options include lace, high-waisted styles, and satin finishes, which can be found at major department stores like Macy’s and at specialty lingerie boutiques.
In some traditions, people discard the red underwear on January 1st to symbolize leaving the old year behind.
Fireworks
Fireworks are a New Year’s tradition in many countries, including Italy. Fireworks displays can be seen throughout Italy as New Year’s Eve turns into New Year’s Day to ward off bad spirits. The bright colors are meant to bring light to the new year.
New Year’s Italian Cuisine
Cuisine is a major part of Italian New Year’s traditions as Italians prepare a feast that encourages good luck and health for the new year. These traditional dishes are a hit at New Year’s Eve feasts and are enjoyed as part of the year’s festivities. The New Year’s feast consists of specific foods that are believed to bring luck and prosperity, and these meals are shared with friends and family. The following are Italian dishes that are commonly prepared and served for New Year’s Eve feasts:
- Lentils (Lenticchie): Lentils are the main staple of New Year’s Eve feasts in Italy. Lentils are believed to bring luck and prosperity throughout the new year because they resemble Roman coins. The most common way lentils are served is as lentil soup, and the lentils are cooked with a combination of garlic, onions, herbs, olive oil, tomatoes, and sometimes pasta. You can make your own lentil soup with our recipe below!
- Pork sausage (Cotechino): A pork sausage known as cotechino is often served on New Year’s with lentils. Italians consider pork to be lucky because it is fatty and rich, which is why it is consumed with the New Year’s Eve feast. Cotechino is commonly simmered over low heat and served in round slices.
- Stuffed pig’s trotter (Zampone): Stuffed pig’s trotter, known as zampone, is another traditional pork dish served on New Year’s Eve. Zampone is a sausage stuffed into a hollowed-out pig trotter, and it is boiled and served in round slices.
- White risotto (Risotto in bianco): In some regions of Italy, rice, or risotto, is served in addition to lentils. Risotto in bianco is consumed on New Year’s Eve for financial prosperity, as rice represents coins, much like lentils, and rice expands in the cooking process, which represents an expansion of wealth.
- Tortellini or cappelletti in broth: Tortellini and cappelletti are similar types of pasta that have a filling, usually meat or cheese. In some regions of Italy, it is a New Year’s tradition to eat tortellini or cappelletti in a meaty broth. The term “cappelletti” translates to “little hats” and is used to “cap off” the previous year.
- Sicilian pizza (Sfincione): Sicilian-style pizza, or sfincione, is common at New Year’s Eve parties in Sicily because it is a convenient finger food. Sfincione is a rectangular pizza with a thick crust that is made with breadcrumbs, onions, and caciocavallo cheese.
- Veneziana: Veneziana is a type of cake that is a common New Year’s tradition in Venice. This leavened cake is sweet and buttery and topped with slivers of almond and crunchy pearl sugar. Veneziana is often served in star-shaped slices covered with powdered sugar.
Lentil Soup Recipe
Although New Year’s Eve has already passed, it is not too late to make and enjoy the traditional lentil soup. Remember, lentil soup is eaten on New Year’s Eve for wealth and prosperity because the lentils resemble Roman coins. You can make this delicious dish yourself with the recipe below!
Start with:
- 1½ onions diced
- 3 diced carrots
- 3 diced celery stalks
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
- Salt, pepper
Sauté in olive oil until aromatic and softened, then add:
- 14 oz diced tomatoes
- 1 pound of lentils
- 2 boxes, or 10 cups of low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup of beef broth or vegetables
Simmer for 1 hour until lentils are tender, then add:
- 4-6 thyme sprigs
- 1 cup of pasta if desired
- Top with grated Romano cheese
Regional Celebrations
New Year’s Eve is a truly global celebration, and each country brings its own unique flair to the year’s festivities. While Italy is famous for its tradition to wear red underwear as a lucky charm for the coming year, many countries have their own special customs to attract good fortune, happiness, and prosperity.
In Spain, the stroke of midnight is marked by the beloved Spanish tradition of eating 12 grapes—one for each chime of the clock. Each grape represents a wish for every month of the year ahead, and successfully eating all 12 in time is said to bring good luck. Many Spaniards also choose to wear red underwear on New Year’s Eve, believing it will help them find love and positive energy in the coming year.
Across the world, the color of underwear worn on New Year’s Eve takes on special meaning. In many countries, people select different colored underwear to attract specific kinds of luck: yellow panties are worn to invite money and wealth, while green underwear is chosen for good health and a connection to nature. The tradition of wearing color underwear is a fun and sometimes silly way to focus on your hopes for the new year, and it’s a playful part of the holiday that brings friends and family together.
Other countries have their own festive rituals. In Brazil, for example, people gather at the beach and jump over seven waves at midnight, making a wish with each leap to ensure good fortune. In Germany, families watch the classic comedy sketch “Dinner for One” before raising a glass of champagne to toast the new year. Scotland’s Hogmanay is famous for its lively music, dancing, and fireworks, while in Japan, many people visit shrines and temples at midnight to pray for happiness and good health.
No matter where you are in the world, New Year’s Eve is a time to reflect on the past year, make wishes for the future, and set intentions for the year ahead. Many people write down resolutions or share their hopes with loved ones, using the holiday as a chance to focus on personal growth and positive change. Whether you’re partying with family, enjoying a quiet vacation, or simply slipping on a lucky pair of red underwear, the spirit of New Year’s is about embracing new beginnings and welcoming the energy of the coming year.
By participating in these diverse traditions—whether it’s eating lucky foods, wearing different colored underwear, or making heartfelt wishes at midnight—you can add excitement and meaning to your New Year’s celebration. However you choose to mark the holiday, may it bring you good fortune, good health, and happiness in the year ahead!
New Year’s Discount for Italy Travel and Tours
The New Year celebrations may be over, but it is always a good time to visit Italy. For the new year, ICAP is offering 10% off to those interested in traveling to Italy and Europe who reserve their package through our travel consultant. To receive this discount, you must book your Italy travel package before April 1, 2020.
There are many amazing experiences and tours in Italy, including tours of ancient Roman ruins and genealogy tours of towns and regions of your Italians ancestors. Our travel consultant will help create your travel itinerary based on your interests to make your dream Italian experience!
Common FAQs:
1. Why do people wear red underwear on New Year’s Eve?
In many cultures—especially in Spain, Italy, and Latin America—wearing red underwear on New Year’s Eve is believed to bring good luck, love, fertility, and protection from negative energy. Red is traditionally associated with vitality and warding off evil spirits, making it a popular color for welcoming the new year. Choosing to wear red underwear is often seen as a bold way to make a statement and attract positive energy for the year ahead.
2. What is the tradition of eating 12 grapes at midnight in Spain?
In Spain, people eat 12 grapes at midnight, one with each clock chime, on New Year’s Eve. Each grape represents a wish or a month of the coming year, and successfully eating all 12 is believed to bring good fortune for the entire year. Wearing red underwear often accompanies this ritual for extra luck.
3. What do different underwear colors symbolize on New Year’s Eve?
Many cultures use color symbolism to manifest specific wishes:
- Red: Love, passion, fertility
- Yellow: Wealth, success, prosperity
- White: Peace, harmony, new beginnings
- Green: Health and well-being
People choose the color based on what they hope to attract in the new year.
4. Are there special rules for wearing New Year’s underwear?
Yes, depending on the tradition:
- The underwear should be new, and in some cultures, received as a gift for extra luck.
- Some people wear it inside-out until midnight, then flip it right-side out to “activate” the new year’s energy.
- Others discard the underwear on January 1st to symbolize leaving the old year behind.
5. What other New Year’s Eve traditions are linked to good luck?
Several food and cultural customs are tied to prosperity:
- In Italy, eating lentils on New Year’s Eve symbolizes wealth and abundance.
- In Brazil, people jump over seven waves at the beach, making a wish with each jump.
- Across many cultures, combining food rituals with color traditions is believed to strengthen intentions for the year ahead.
You can start booking your custom Italian tours with ICAP on our website.