Italian New Year’s Traditions: Discover traditional Italian New Year’s (Capodanno) customs to ring in the new year in Italy. From lucky foods like lentils to red clothing, this is all you need to know about New Year’s Eve in Italy.
Italy celebrates the start of the New Year during the night between the 31st December and the 1st of January and does it with fanfare!
Every year on December 31st, in Italy we roll out a beautiful mix of food, family, superstition and celebration to welcome the New Year: we call it Capodanno (capo = head; anno= year) and it’s a real fun celebration to be part of.
For the most part, our rituals are the same you have in many other parts of the world following the same calendar: fireworks and a toast at midnight are very much a tradition, but not unique to us.
Other things are more local. If you’re curious about the customs Italians live by when the year changes, from lucky foods to colorful rituals, this is your friendly guide!
If you are new to this site, hi! My name is Marta and I am an Italian mama from Rome. Welcome!
What Capodanno Means in Italy
In Italy, New Year’s Eve (La Notte di Capodanno) and New Year’s Day (Capodanno) are about bringing good luck, prosperity and joy into the year ahead.
Italy is a modern country in many respects but we are also still strongly rooted in superstition and elements of magical thinking and Capodanno is a time when they come out in full force: no one wants to mess with the chances of good luck for a whole year!
So, many of the traditional, rituals and foods we Italians enjoy come from centuries‑old beliefs about fortune and protection: some ancient, others more playful, but all shared with friends and family. Here are the most common and helpful ones to be aware of!
The Cenone: A Big, Meaningful Meal on New Year’s Eve
One of the most beloved Italian New Year’s traditions is the Cenone di Capodanno (literally the ‘big dinner’).
On the evening of the 31st, people throw or attend parties with a massive dinner (sit down or pot luck, with lots of home made dishes like lasagne etc) usually with friends and/ or family.
Unlike Christmas Eve, Capodanno is not a family only thing and it is also not a time for restraint: it is a big bash!
Dinner can be in the house or at a restaurant, in which case usually there is a festive set menu, and it a long affair that stretches until midnight, when people countdown and then toast the start of the new year.
There is not set food for this nigh as such, but we do have some staple foods that are recording, expected and that are believed to bring good luck.
Traditional and Lucky Foods for New Years’ Eve in Italy
The following foods are believed to bring good luck: if you are hosting and Italian New Year’s Eve party, you’ll want to include them. Of you need to pick only one: lentils are the way to go!
Lentils (lenticchie) – Shaped like tiny coins, lentils are believed to bring wealth and prosperity. You do not need to eat tons of them but having some is considered lucky!
Cotechino or Zampone – A rich pork sausage or stuffed pig’s trotter served with lentils, this is a filling and really delicious dish that only comes out on New Years’ Eve and everyone takes at least a bite of!
Pomegranates are another wonderful symbol of prosperity and good fortune for the New Year.
The color red and the a abundance of seeds, as well as its seasonality, makes it the perfect fruit for this time: you can use the seeds in salads or even just the fruit as a whole as decoration (careful as it stains like crazy!)
Panettone & Pandoro – Panettone and Pandoro are Christmas ‘cakes’, ore more accurately sweet baked goods typical of this season.
They are originally from northern Italy but they are the symbol of Christmas and the Christmas season all over Italy and you will be hard pressed not to have them or not to offer them at New Years’ too!
In Italy, opinions are divided about which one is better and it is also a running joke in families to have ‘factions’ about who likes what. For a laugh, read more about this cake-battle in my post >> pandoro vs panettone.
Each of these foods carries a story, and eating them as midnight approaches becomes a form of ritual — as much about hope and celebration as it is about flavour!
Torrone, ricciarelli, panforte: Torrone, ricciarelli and panforte are other foods you will find on New Year’s Eve tables. Like pandoro and panettone, these are store bough and they are only normally offered during the festivities. If you are hosting or you are bringing something to a pot luck dinner or just as a little gift for the host, good quality ones are always appreciated!
The Countdown and Midnight Toast
Ok, this is not a specifically Italian tradition, but it is very much one we abide to so if you are in Italy for New Year’s Eve, you’ll experience this!
Right before middling, you have the conto alla rovescia (countdown): dieci, nove, Otto, sette, sei, cinque, quattro, tre, due uno… and then the explosion of wishes “Buon Anno” (Happy New Year in Italian) and fireworks outside as people toasty to the new beginning with Prosecco.
We do not have kissing traditions: if you don’t have a date, you do not need to get one! Here, it is just not a thing.
Italian Good Luck Traditions You’ll See
Italians combine superstition, joy and playfulness in many New Year’s customs:
Wearing Red for Luck
Wearing something red — especially underwear — on New Year’s Eve is considered lucky.
Fireworks and Noise for Good Fortune
At midnight, fireworks (i botti di Capodanno) boom across towns and cities. The noise isn’t just for fun — it’s meant to scare away bad spirits and welcome a fresh start. This is done all over Italy but some places, like Naples, go over the top more than others.
Fireworks are regulated as they can be very dangerous but, sadly, many still use them illegally and incidents are common. Pay extra attention and be super cautious: the safest way to enjoy them is from the distance
Out with the Old
In some parts of Italy, especially in the South, there’s an old tradition of letting go of the past by clearing out old belongings or throwing things away (like pots or old items) to make space for the new year. The idea is a clean slate and fresh energy for 365 new days!
Tombola
Tombola is a game similar to bingo and traditional this time of the year. It is not as common anymore but in family gathering with kids especially you may still come across it!
New Year’s Eve etiquette for guests to a house party
New Year’s traditions in Italy are all about being together, having fun and starting the New Years with the right foot. As such, you do not need to stress too much about how to behave if invited at a party but some things may be good to know!
New Years’ Eve house parties usually do not have a strict dress code but there is a tendency and, sometimes, potentially an expectation to make a bit of an effort for them.
Black, sparkly or red garments are traditional. If in doubt, there is not problem about asking your host about the dress code as there is really no rule.
If going to a restaurant, it is common for nicer places to have a dress code for the big night: always check with the establishment at the time of booking.
Dinner may be pot luck, so don’t be surprised if you are asked to bring something. If you are stuck for ideas, I have a NYE pot luck dinner ideas here!
If offered lentils, eat them!
Don’t launch yourself to kiss someone on the mouth just because it is midnight! It is not traditional and the person won’t know what to make of it!
These traditions are fun to participate in, even if you’re not Italian. Try a little red, enjoy lentils for luck, and raise a glass at midnight with friends and family wherever you are. Buon anno! 🎉🇮🇹
Italian New Year’s Traditions you’ll love: pin this!
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