The celebration of the New Year in Italy takes place on the night of December 31 to January 1. The Italians celebrate the Capodanno holiday, which is translated from Italian as “the head of the year” (beginning of the year), also referred to as the Supper of St. Sylvester. The legend goes like this: Pope Sylvester I caught a sea monster (snake). It was believed that if the snake breaks free, then the end of the world will happen, but this did not happen with the forces of Sylvester. Catholics give him prayers and honor this day. And St. Sylvester’s Dinner is New Year’s Eve dinner. The phrase “Where are you going on Silvelstra?” essentially means “Where will you celebrate the New Year?”.
Celebration of the New Year in Italy is similar to the celebration of the identical holiday in the USA. It does not do without a New Year’s decorated tree – a Christmas tree and Santa Claus on a reindeer sleigh, referred to here as Babbo Natale and italian translator.
A very interesting tradition in Italy is to get rid of everything old and unnecessary, to put it simply, from rubbish. Since ancient times, it was believed that old household items, furniture, clothes accumulate a lot of negative energy in themselves and drive luck and wealth away from their owner. Therefore, before the New Year, Italians could throw out old jeans, a chair or even a sofa right out of the windows. In this connection, there were frequent cases of injuries among people walking the streets. And the streets, I must say, in Italy are not too wide, it was even problematic to dodge. And the Italian government has banned throwing things out of windows. Now respectable citizens take out old things to the trash cans, where anyone can pick up the discarded things.
New Year’s Italian table is decorated with 13 different dishes: pies, pasta, sandwiches, seafood, lentils, grapes. It is considered a bad omen if a chicken is served on the table, and vice versa, a pork knuckle on the table promises good luck. Italians treat grapes in a special way. With each stroke of the chimes, each Italian must eat 1 grape. Well, what a new year without Italian wine and beer! Oddly enough, but the inhabitants of Italy do not prefer champagne for the New Year, and moreover, drinking a sparkling drink on such a holiday is considered bad manners.
Clothing for the New Year must contain elements of red. Women, in this regard, are easier: you can wear a completely red dress. Men may wear red shirts, satin ribbons, or red shorts. Red is believed to attract money and wealth.
Spectacular events dedicated to the celebration of the New Year can be seen in the main square of Rome. Salutes, fireworks, festivities can continue until dawn. It is with pyrotechnic performances, which for Russian tourists will seem only a beautiful sight, that the Italians scare away evil spirits and negative energy.
Also, an important role next year, the Italians give the meeting of the first person when leaving the house in the coming year. If it is an old man, then the year will be bright and prosperous, and if a child or a priest comes across, then nothing good should be expected.