What You Need to Know About New Year’s in Italy: 8 New Year’s Traditions

New Year’s in Italy, Capodanno, is one of the most beloved celebrations of the year. Celebrating the new year in Italian culture means embracing symbolic foods, ancient superstitions, regional customs, and rituals designed to bring prosperity, happiness, and protection in the months ahead.

Whether you grew up with Italian traditions or recently discovered your heritage, learning how people celebrate New Year’s in Italy can help you connect more deeply with your roots.

What Is Capodanno?

Capodanno spans New Year’s Eve (La Notte di San Silvestro) and New Year’s Day and marks the heart of many Italian New Year’s Eve traditions. Italians gather for hours-long dinners, dress in festive colors, watch fireworks, and participate in customs passed down through generations.

Many rituals are rooted in ancient Roman customs, Catholic symbolism, and local folklore—but across regions, the focus remains the same: welcoming good fortune and leaving negativity in the past.

8 Italian New Year’s Traditions to Welcome Good Fortune

1. Eating Lentils and Sausage on New Year’s Eve

One of the most famous Italian New Year’s traditions is eating lentils as the clock strikes midnight. Italians believe their coin-like shape symbolizes prosperity and financial abundance.

The dish is traditionally paired with cotechino or zampone, slow-cooked sausages whose round slices resemble coins, making it one of the best-known Italian New Year traditional foods served during Capodanno. In some regions, this meal is served exactly at midnight to usher in luck for the year ahead.

2. Breaking Old Kitchenware at Midnight

In parts of Southern Italy, people historically threw old dishes, plates, or ceramics from balconies at midnight to “break” the old year and cast out negative energy. Called il lancio dei cocci, this custom appears in Italian folklore and was believed to scare away evil spirits through noise and symbolic destruction.

While this tradition is no longer commonly practiced due to safety concerns, its meaning lives on: letting go of the past and making space for new beginnings.

3. Eating Grapes to Encourage Wisdom

Grapes are a long-standing symbol of abundance and good luck, and many Italian families include them in their celebrations as part of broader Italian New Year’s traditions, typically enjoyed on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day.

In some households, often influenced by neighboring cultures, people follow the tradition of eating 12 grapes, one for each month of the coming year. The sweeter the grapes, the sweeter the year is expected to be.

4. Discarding Unwanted Items Before the New Year

Rather than waiting for spring cleaning, many Italian families start the year by removing clutter—clothing, old furniture, worn-out household goods, or anything that no longer brings value.

This ritual has ancient Roman roots and symbolizes cleansing the home and spirit, making room for good luck and new opportunities. It’s common in many regions to declutter the house before the New Year’s meal begins.

5. Enjoying Fireworks

Fireworks are a defining element of Italian New Year’s Eve. According to tradition, loud noises frighten away evil spirits. Cities such as Naples are famous for spectacular displays, and many families set off their own fireworks after midnight.

In modern times, fireworks are more of a festive celebration than a spiritual ritual, but the belief in their protective symbolism remains culturally significant.

6. Burning the Yule Log for Protection

In Northern Italy, there is a historic tradition of burning the Yule Log, known as il ceppo or la ciàpada, on New Year’s Eve. This custom appears in regional interpretations of Italian New Year’s Eve traditions, where the fire symbolized protection, continuity, and good fortune.

Today, this practice is more folkloric than widespread, but it remains an important part of northern Italian cultural history.

7. Wearing Red Underwear for Good Fortune

Buying and wearing red underwear on New Year’s Eve is one of Italy’s most playful and widely practiced traditions. Red is believed to ward off negativity, attract love, and bring good fortune.

The superstition dates back to ancient Roman times, when red garments symbolized health and protection. Today, stores across Italy stock plenty of red underwear starting in early December. According to folklore, the underwear must be new and gifted to work properly.

8. Kissing Under the Mistletoe

In Italy, mistletoe (il vischio) is a powerful symbol of harmony, fertility, and renewal, and appears in both Christmas and New Year’s celebrations. Couples often share a kiss beneath mistletoe at midnight as a gesture meant to encourage love, unity, and happiness in the year ahead.

While mistletoe is commonly associated with Christmas in the United States, its symbolism in Italy extends into New Year’s traditions as well.

How Capodanno Traditions Vary Across Italy

While these customs are popular throughout the country, regional differences shape how Italy’s New Year’s traditions are celebrated:

• Northern Italy: Bonfires, Yule Log traditions, large communal dinners
• Southern Italy: Fireworks, breaking ceramics, big street parties
• Rome: Concerts and fireworks near the Colosseum
• Venice: The famous “mass kiss” in Piazza San Marco
• Naples: One of the world’s most elaborate midnight fireworks shows

No matter where you go, Capodanno is about joy, renewal, and community.

Why These Traditions Matter for Italian Americans

For many Italian Americans, celebrating these traditions is a way to stay connected to their ancestors and preserve cultural identity. Whether you grew up practicing them or you’re embracing your newly discovered Italian heritage, Capodanno gives you a meaningful way to honor your roots.

If these traditions make you feel closer to Italy, you may also be eligible for Italian dual citizenship through jure sanguinis (right of blood). Learning more about your heritage can help you reclaim a part of your family history.

Celebrate Capodanno Like an Italian

You don’t need to be in Italy to bring these traditions into your New Year’s celebration. A bowl of lentils at midnight, a festive fireworks display, a little something red, and a kiss under the mistletoe can all add a meaningful touch of Italian culture to your evening.

No matter if you celebrate quietly at home or gather with family and friends, these simple rituals reflect the spirit of Capodanno, welcoming good fortune, letting go of the past, and starting the year with intention, joy, and connection.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the best place to spend New Year’s Eve in Italy?

Some of the most popular places include Rome, Venice, and Naples, each offering large public celebrations, concerts, and fireworks. The “best” location depends on whether you prefer historic settings, romantic atmospheres, or high-energy street festivities.

What color do Italians wear on New Year’s Eve?

Red is the most traditional color worn on New Year’s Eve in Italy because it is believed to bring good luck, love, and protection. Many people wear red secretly as underwear, following a long-standing superstition connected to ancient Roman beliefs.

How do you say Happy New Year in Italian?

Happy New Year in Italian is Buon Anno. On New Year’s Eve, Italians also commonly say Felice Anno Nuovo, which carries the same meaning.

Interested in Exploring Your Italian Citizenship?

If you want to learn more about your Italian roots—or find out whether you qualify for Italian dual citizenship—the Italian American Citizenship Assistance Program can help.

We offer free telephone consultations and personalized guidance through every step of the citizenship process.