It’s New Year’s Eve soon! And even though it may not be a traditional holiday, Italians are certainly celebrating it in their own way. Here are some of the most popular ways to celebrate the new year like an Italian:
Eat lentils.
While lentils are considered a symbol of good luck in many cultures, for Italians, eating them on New Year’s Eve is a way to ensure prosperity and abundance through the year ahead. The tradition began centuries ago when people believed that if you ate lentils at midnight on New Year’s Eve, you would be guaranteed to find treasure during the coming year. Lentil soup was also considered an aphrodisiac (now we know why!) so it became customary for couples to eat it together as part of the ritual. Today though, most people just dig into some delicious homemade hearty dishes like this classic recipe for lentil soup with sausage and pancetta or try out one of these other tasty ideas:
Give money for good luck.
In Italy, it’s tradition to give money to children and the poor for good luck on New Year’s Eve. If you’re feeling generous and have a little extra cash in your pocket, why not give some of it away?
Italian people usually give coins in the form of lire or euro coins, which according to Italian superstition will bring them good fortune in the coming year. This can be done by either giving one coin per person or several coins if they are friends with whom you want to share luck (perhaps because they’ve been so kind as to let you crash on their couch). The amount given should be at least two euros but can go as high as ten depending on how much money is available!
Wear red undergarments.
- Wear red underwear.
- Wear red socks.
- Wear red shoes.
- Wear a red shirt.
- Wear a red hat (if you’re bald, wear a wig).
- Wearing a belt or scarf can also be effective in raising your energy levels as well as making you look good!
Dump a bucket of water out the window.
One of the many traditions of Italy is to throw a bucket of water out the window on New Year’s Eve. This is said to cleanse your house, bring good luck, and start the new year fresh with no bad luck lingering around. It’s a great way to get ready for a new year!
Now that you know how to celebrate New Year’s Eve like an Italian, all that’s left is to enjoy yourself!
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