Yes,
for New Year's Eve Celebration in Italy,
there are the eating lentils (symbolizing wealth) or pork specialties
symbolizing richness, many Italians don new red underwear to bring good luck in
the New Year, there are fireworks displays and
concerts. Those who don't have
fireworks often build bonfires in the center of their villages. Food, drink and
dancing in the streets are common. The Yule log represents a burning of evil
spirits.
What
you may not know is that you should definitely not be walking under any windows
at midnight, especially from Rome
south. There is an old tradition of renewal (out with the old, in with the
new) that Italians take quite literally. Throwing the "old" out
the windows can include plates, appliances, chairs and even refrigerators.
Los Angeles Examiner
by Serenella Leon
New
Year's Eve is known as la Festa di San Silvestro (Feast of St. Sylvester) in Italy. New Year's Day is called Capodanno.
On either day, you will find people celebrating by eating lentils
(symbolizing wealth) or pork specialties such as cotechino
or zampone (stuffed pork sausage or
stuffed pig's trotter) symbolizing
richness for the coming year.
If
you possessed x-ray vision, you would find yourself in a sea of red as many
Italians don new red underwear to bring good luck in the New Year.
At
midnight, there are fireworks displays throughout Italy
with the largest and longest taking place in Piazza del Popolo in Rome. The fireworks
last for an hour and this is a true celebration for all (no reservations). As
a result, people camp out for as much as a week in advance to secure a good
spot. They are also treated to a concert that goes on for hours both before and
after the fireworks.
Those
who don't have fireworks often build
bonfires in the center of their villages.
Food,
drink and dancing in the streets are common. What you may not know is that
you should definitely not be walking under any windows at midnight, especially
from Rome
south. There is an old tradition of renewal (out with the old, in with the
new) that Italians take quite literally. Throwing the "old" out
the windows can include plates, appliances, chairs and even refrigerators. My
stepson and his friends had a close call in Rome a few years ago as they were not aware
of this tradition and had to scramble for coverage!
Finally,
many Italians continuously burn a Yule log or ceppo
on the fire until past midnight. Born from an ancient tradition, the Yule
log represents a burning of evil spirits. Whatever your choice of
rituals, if you are celebrating New Year's
in Italy,
you will likely not go to bed until the dawn.