The Unexpected 'Red-Hot' Tradition To Secretly Spice Up Your New Year In Italy

So another year is over. The days between Christmas and New Year's Eve always seem to blend into one — a vortex of turkey leftovers and sugar binges, with regular thoughts about getting in shape when January approaches. December always seems to fly by so quickly, and you've barely even had time to think of the year ahead or make those New Year's resolutions. The end of the year means different things for everyone, with some people reflecting on projects, people, and places left behind, while others see it as the opportunity to wipe the slate clean. Out with the old, in with the new, they say!

Just as the end of the year means something different to every person, each culture has their own customs and rituals to celebrate New Year's Eve. For the Italians, Capodanno (Italian for "New Year's") is met with a long tradition of superstition and lore, a time-honored celebration marked by symbolic gestures to bring each person good fortune for the months ahead. One of those superstitions is even hidden from view: In Italy, always make sure you wear red underwear on New Year's Eve. And to really get in the spirit, throw them out on New Year's Day. There are other variations to this (some Italians wear the red underwear inside out and then put them on the correct way after midnight), but the red underwear remains key. Perhaps the secret ingredient to a perfect New Year in this case really is superstition.

Italians, like most other countries around the world, bring in the New Year with their fair share of fireworks. If you happen to be celebrating in Italy at this time of year, you'll find the bigger, more dramatic fireworks displays in Rome, Milan, Venice, and Florence. But the Italian secret to "la dolce vita" isn't in its outdoor celebrations, but rather in their indoor customs. That is to say, they are very particular about their chosen underwear on the last day of the year.

According to the Italians, if you wear red underwear on New Year's Eve, you will be guaranteed luck, success, and love for the next 12 months. If you're down on your luck, this is one superstition you don't want to dismiss. Though this tradition may be seen as inappropriate in some countries, it is also shared in others, with Mexicans also choosing their New Year's underwear according to how they'd like the year to go (red for luck and love, yellow for money and prosperity). Likewise, though the Chinese celebrate New Year according to a different calendar, red is also seen as lucky in their culture. In both Italian and Mexican cultures, this tradition is respected so strictly that you'll often see shops and vendors lining their windows with colored underwear during the last days of December.

The origins of the Italian tradition can be traced back as far as 31 B.C., to the time of Emperor Octavian Augustus. Romans saw the color red as a symbol of prosperity, but it was not until the Middle Ages that the tradition transitioned from outerwear to innerwear. During medieval times, it is believed that a red cloth was worn over the groin to ward off evil spirits. This was meant to be discarded at the turn of the year, a symbolism that doesn't require much interpretation: a clear "out with the old."

Italians take rejuvenation to the next level, viewing the end of the year as a time to purge themselves of the past by throwing out old things. This custom was once practiced by throwing things out of the window, namely shards of pottery, but this has since been abandoned due to potential hazards. Though a deeply Catholic country, at the heart of all Italian New Year's lore and superstition is the fear of evil spirits. It is thought that fireworks counteract these spirits, scaring them away, hence the large end-of-year displays. Keeping a Yule log burning over the turn of the year is also considered to ward off evil spirits and invite the Virgin Mary into the houses of those who keep the flame alive. Though these customs may seem like old wives' tales and superstitions, it may be worth listening to Nonna if you want a prosperous 2025. Felice Anno Nuovo!