New Year’s Eve: An Irresistible Mix of Good Food and Superstition

After the toasts and midnight kisses, everyone returns to the table for the most traditional dish of Italian New Year’s Eve: cotechino and lentils. The cotechino, rich and delicious, symbolises abundance, while the stewed lentils, warm and comforting, represent coins, carrying with them the wish for a prosperous and lucky year.

At the stroke of midnight, a toast is mandatory. Glasses of sparkling wine clink in the centre of the table to welcome the new year, a symbol of joy, conviviality, and shared moments with loved ones. However, the toast has its rules: every glass must touch that of all other participants, but beware, crossing arms is strictly forbidden, as, according to superstition, it would bring bad luck for the whole year!

The New Year’s Eve outfit is usually elegant and glittering, but the Italian tradition starts with the essentials. Wearing red underwear, for both men and women, is considered a lucky charm ritual, capable of attracting love and good fortune for the new year.

In the regions of Southern Italy, it is customary to choose a few old objects to throw away on New Year’s Eve. This is not simple decluttering, but a symbolic gesture: freeing oneself from the past to make room for the present and welcome the future with new energy.