Christmas in Italy is family holiday, A New Year- friendly. That's why December 31 Italians fill numerous establishments and party until the morning. Firecrackers are ringing all around, cities are decorated with festive lights, bouquets of flowers and bright red ribbons. The main squares of the cities are decorated with live Christmas trees, and around there are huge flower beds with a variety of flowers. The famous Venetian lions, which turn into cute cats, get the full benefit these days. Italians are people with a sense of humor, so they put cute hats on the heads of the kings of animals, and cotton beards are attached to their muzzles.

New Year's customs in Italy

Luck in Italy has its own color, so everyone dresses up in red. If you meet an Italian, say, in green pants and a yellow jacket, then rest assured, at least something on him that day is definitely red. And it’s not at all necessary to show it to others.

Italy. New Year. Traditions

Perhaps the most popular Italian tradition is throwing old things in the trash. Of course, we are mainly talking about things that fashionable Italians are no longer going to wear, so fashionistas will never throw away an old but good designer item. And while serenely strolling through the picturesque Italian streets on December 31, be careful, they throw old things right out of the window. Please put on a helmet or walk straight along the roadway. As a rule, in holidays roads in Italy are left to pedestrians.

In addition to old things, sometimes money falls from the windows. And all this is due to the fact that Italians put a few coins on the windowsill for good luck and light candles nearby. Sign: if a candle burns on the windowsill, it means that money will soon fall out of there.

Dishes for the New Year in Italy

How do you celebrate New Year in Italy? Italians love to eat, always and everywhere, especially in New Year's Eve. St. Sylvester's Dinner, which is what they call the New Year's feast, begins around 9 pm and lasts until midnight. There are usually from seven to thirteen different dishes on the tables. Italians love lenticchie, or in our opinion, lentils, and serve this grain, which looks so much like small coins, as a New Year's side dish. Also in Italian New Year's table There are nuts, pork dishes, caviar and, of course, grapes.

It is also customary to treat your family to pork feet on the last day of the old year. As if raising a glass of wine, Italians elegantly pick up pig's feet and eat them as a send-off to the old year.

The New Year brings not only a lot to Italians good mood, joy and fun, but also a variety of hearty and unusual dishes. For example, original dishes made from pork head. Italians believe that a pig is a stubborn and very calculating animal, and although not always neat, it moves forward slowly and surely. But with chickens it’s the other way around; Italians believe that when they eat game, they take one step forward and two back and hint at sluggish chickens. On the Italian table you will definitely find caviar, as a symbol of wealth, as well as very fatty and spicy pork sausage. If you are on a diet, excuses are not accepted. Without trying at least a piece of this sausage, you risk causing a blood offense to the owner of the house. It’s better not to argue, but to eat, at least a little. Well, then absolutely everything is used, from seafood and beans with honey to pies and traditional Italian wine. By the way, drinking champagne or neighboring French wine is simply unacceptable. In some areas of Italy, it is believed that anyone who does not eat a plate of chickpeas at the festive table, washed down with a glass of light beer, will have no luck in the New Year.

Tradition about 12 grapes

The world-famous Italian New Year's tradition of 12 grapes dates back to ancient times. Each blow at the beginning of the year is a reminder that another grape should be in the mouth. If you are quick enough, then with the first second of the New Year, the very last of the 12 grapes will be in your mouth, which means that good luck will await you all year. That seems to be all, but in fact this tradition has an interesting continuation. After the 12th strike, the lights in the entire house turn off, and all the guests in the house certainly kiss.

And so in Italy they celebrated the New Year, it has arrived and thousands of people pour out into the streets of cities and continue the fun. In Rome, the most popular place to celebrate the New Year is the central square Piazza Del Poppolo. There is an unprecedented noise and din around the square, accompanied by explosions of firecrackers and bright fireworks. It is unlikely that you will be able to get enough sleep in such an atmosphere, and this is one of the main goals of the New Year holidays - to have fun until the morning without getting tired.

Finally, Italians are very superstitious. They pay attention to every little thing, right down to who they meet on the very first day of the year. For example, meeting someone from the clergy or a small child will be disappointing. The opposite grandfather is happiness and prosperity. And if he still has a hump, then consider that you were born under a lucky star: there will be more than enough money, love and fun in the new year. New Year's traditions are also popular among Italians, for example, the belief about clean water. It is believed that when giving one of your friends a clean drinking water You bring new, bright energy into their home, and along with life-giving moisture, you give a good part of yourself. Even if you have nothing to give your friend for the New Year, bring with you a container with drinking water, it will come in very handy on January 1st. Moreover, in every sense.

After celebrating a stormy New Year's Eve, Italians get a good night's sleep, and when they wake up they go straight to lunch. Lunch on the first day of the year is always filling and tasty, but it’s hardly healthy. On this day, Italians will treat you to a fatty, baked turkey and raise a couple of glasses to World Peace Day. On this occasion, the Pope will even celebrate a traditional festive mass in St. Peter's Basilica.

Santa Claus in Italy

Where are Father Frost and Snow Maiden? We don’t promise the Snow Maiden, but Babbo Natale will be very useful. That's what the Italians call this kind old man. Baba Natalia - also known as Father Frost, or most likely Santa Claus - appeared in Italy with the help of the Americans and spread throughout the country only in the 20th century. In appearance, he is no different from his American prototype, just as fat, ruddy and always wearing glasses on the invariable cart drawn by deer.

When Santa Claus Babbo Natale fades into the background, the good Fairy Befana appears on the proscenium, giving gifts to children. By January 6, the kids run out of all their New Year's and Christmas treats, and then the good fairy brings them some more gifts. By the way, she is kind only on paper, but in reality Fairy Babbo is more like a Russian Baba Yaga with a hooked nose, a bone leg and dirty, holey clothes. Nevertheless, Italian children love Fairy Yaga very much and wait for her appearance, almost more than Babbo Natale. The fairy, following the same American tradition, puts gifts in stockings and God forbid the kids behave badly, instead of delicious candies they will receive pebbles or coals.

This is how they celebrate New Year in Italy!

Italian New Year is a noisy and cheerful holiday. On the night of December 31 to January 1, after the chiming clock, crowds of tourists and local residents go out into the streets to drink a bottle of wine in the company of friends and strangers, watch fireworks and watch the sunrise in the central city square. In Italian cities and villages, theatrical performances, music concerts, discos and themed parties. Residents of the sunny country believe that the New Year should be celebrated in a big way so that it brings happiness and love.

Total update

Italians believe that old things accumulate negative energy. A grandmother’s chair or a rare TV can scare away good luck and wealth, so residents of a sunny country are trying to update their interiors before December 31st.

Italians used to throw unnecessary things out of open windows. Hole-filled pants, broken equipment and dishes fell on the heads of passers-by. And some citizens had to run away from flying chairs and sofas. The Italian government has banned the dangerous tradition. Now law-abiding citizens remove old furniture from the apartment and leave it next to the trash cans. Any passerby can take a cute chair or vase.

Italians sell household appliances and other valuable items at New Year's fairs. Tents with souvenirs and traditional dishes are usually placed near the central square and the Christmas tree. Tourists who dream of learning how the New Year is celebrated in Italy are recommended to visit one of these fairs. And be sure to try the food offered by street vendors. They usually sell classic pies:

Torrone;
pannetone;
ricciarelli.

Traditional dishes are complemented with fine Italian wine or a glass of beer.

Gala dinner

New Year in Italian sounds like Capodanno - St. Sylvester's Day. According to old traditions, guests are served 13 dishes: pies, sandwiches with caviar or pasta with seafood, nuts, chops and grapes. New Year in Italy is not complete without lentils, which resemble the shape of coins. A dish made from this product is called lentykkie. Every resident of a sunny country tries to eat as many lentils as possible before midnight, because they believe that they attract wealth.

On festive table Boiled or baked pork legs must be present. They symbolize the passing year. After midnight, guests are served pork head dishes.

Italians believe that animals help them move forward and achieve their goals.

Fish caviar attracts abundance and prosperity. Chickpeas bring good luck. Sweet pies with nuts, dried fruits and candied fruits are symbols of happiness and harmony. There are only chicken dishes on the New Year's table. Italians do not favor the bird and believe that it attracts bad luck.

Residents of the sunny country sit down at the table exactly at 9 pm. Until 12 at night they eat, talk and drink wine. Some Italians prefer beer, but no one brings champagne. French sparkling wine - bad manners.

Italians prepare dishes from white beans, seafood, beans and honey. Be sure to put sliced ​​pork sausage on the table. It is very spicy and fatty, but every guest tries to eat at least a small piece.

Guests and hosts prepare 12 grapes 5 minutes before the chimes strike. The fruit brings good luck. After each blow, counting down the last seconds of the passing year, you need to eat a grape. If a person manages to swallow all 12 pieces, he will definitely be lucky. The grapes are washed down with a glass of beer, then they eat a piece of pig's head and go outside to continue the celebration in the fresh air.

Fireworks and red lingerie

On New Year's Eve, Italian shops are transformed: bright garlands, wreaths made of fir branches, satin ribbons. And red dresses, ties, shoes and underwear appear in shop windows. Italians believe that this color brings happiness. On New Year's Eve, men wear red panties, and women wear scarlet or burgundy sets, negligees and stockings. Underwear is complemented with new socks and tights. They attract money and wealth.

The windows of apartments and houses are decorated with lit candles. Tiny lights, like beacons, attract good spirits and drive away evil ones. A coin is placed under each candle to lure good luck into the house.

At midnight, after the chiming clock, Italians go out into the street and carefully peer at passers-by. If the first person you meet is a child, a clergyman or a monk, the year will not be very successful. But the old man, and even with a hump, is considered the best gift. Elderly man promises joy, prosperity and happiness.

Tourists who do not know where to celebrate the New Year in Italy are recommended to buy tickets to Naples. The city hosts grandiose pyrotechnic displays. Fireworks are a mandatory attribute of an Italian holiday. The sky is lit up with bright flashes, and loud claps drown out joyful cries and keep you awake until the morning.

Fireworks for Russians are entertainment and beautiful performance. Italians use firecrackers and fireworks to drive away evil spirits from their homes.

Breaking dishes, grenades and jumping from a bridge

Wine and beer are poured into glasses only in the apartment. On the street, any alcohol, even champagne and cognac, is drunk from the throat. Plastic cups Only tourists use it. Brave Italians break empty bottles on monuments. True, for displaying fireworks from shrapnel, you can go to jail and pay a fine.

Instead of bottles, Italians break dishes. They've been saving for a whole year negative emotions and cracked plates, and then freed from bad thoughts and old cups. Salad bowls, saucers and other kitchen items are thrown on the floor until it becomes easier. The dishes begin to be beaten at midnight, as if saying goodbye to the old year and bad memories from the past.

People who dream of getting rich eat lentils, and couples who want to strengthen their love buy pomegranate. Red fruits are symbols of fidelity and tender feelings. If you share a pomegranate with your significant other and eat it while the chimes are ringing, everything will definitely work out. Lovers will quarrel and be jealous of each other less.

The red fruit helps lonely people find happiness in the new year. To meet your soulmate, you need to put a few pomegranate seeds in your underwear and walk with them all evening. In the morning, the bruised bones are thrown away and a wish is made.

Tourists vacationing in Rome are recommended to take a walk to the bridge over the Tiber River on January 1. Guests will see with their own eyes how desperate daredevils celebrate the New Year in Italy. Men and women who want to catch their luck by the tail jump from the bridge. The Tiber's waters are fast and unpredictable, but that doesn't stop the Italians. Every lucky person who swims to the shore will receive a reward - a sea of ​​ovations and good luck until the end of the new year.

Gifts and Santa

Italians did not have Santa Claus until the 20th century. Fairy Befana came to the children on January 6th. Old woman with crooked teeth and long nose she sneaked into the house while everyone was sleeping and stuffed gifts into socks, which were hung on the wall or fireplace. In the 20th century, the Italians borrowed Santa Claus from the Americans and named him Babbo Natale. An old man in a red suit comes to the children on January 1 and hands over a bright package. Babbo Natale rides a sleigh drawn by reindeer, and some modern Santa Clauses ride motorcycles.

Italian children are looking forward to meeting Fairy Befana. They hang striped socks by the fireplace and listen to their parents for a whole year, because hooligans may receive coal instead of the ordered car or construction set.

Adult Italians do not give each other New Year's gifts, Christmas only. On January 1st, guests are presented with a glass clean water and an olive sprig. A gift brings happiness and peace to the home.

Parties and street performances

Travelers often don't know what to do in Italy for the New Year. Join the locals and head to the central square? Good option, because holiday concerts are usually held in the very heart of large cities. Italian and foreign singers, musical groups and dancers perform on stage.

Guests who do not want to spend New Year's Eve on the street can book a table in a restaurant or cafe in advance. Diners don't have to order the lentil and chickpea stew. Italian establishments serve both traditional dishes and Japanese sushi and rolls. They also serve delicious desserts and wine. And in elite establishments there is often live music.

Art lovers can go to New Year's performance to the theater. Some performances last until 9–10 pm. After the performance, guests are invited to the banquet hall, where they communicate with the artists. At midnight, visitors along with the theater troupe raise their glasses to the new year.

In large cities, nightclubs are open on December 31. Many establishments organize themed New Year's parties. The holiday will be unforgettable thanks to the fun entertainment program, loud music and alcoholic cocktails. But it's not easy to get into Italian nightclubs. You have to book tables in advance, because on New Year's Eve the locals also want to dance and have fun.

Ski resorts

Italians care about their health and physical fitness. They don’t like to lie on the couch for days and finish salads. Many young couples spend Christmas and New Year in the mountains. In the morning they go skiing and snowboarding, and in the evening they drink wine by the fireplace and enjoy traditional cuisine.

Italians relax in small villages located in the western part of the country:

Passo Tonale;
Pinzolo;
Val di Sole;
Madonna di Campiglio.

Many tourists come to the Dolomites. In this region there are 12 villages where you can rent a house, and 4 large ski resorts. Experienced skiers and snowboarders are attracted by the “black” slopes and the opportunity to get a dose of adrenaline. Beginners flock to the Dolomites for the stunning scenery and fresh air.

The Italians like Ortisei and Courmayeur. These ski resorts are considered the most prestigious in the country. People like to spend their weekends here and new year holidays residents of Milan and Rome.

Foreigners joke: “If you don’t know what to talk about with an Italian, tell him about your vacation in the Dolomites. He will immediately respect you."

Places for an unforgettable holiday

Sunny Italy for the New Year 2018 will turn into a fairyland. Christmas trees will be installed in the central squares and lit holiday garlands. Grandiose New Year's sales will begin in stores. Italians will choose gifts, and foreign tourists will choose the city in which they want to spend an unforgettable weekend.

In Rome, music plays all night, and the sky shakes with fireworks. Pop singers and rock musicians perform near the Colosseum. A symphony orchestra plays in front of the Quirinal Palace. In the morning, acrobats and clowns perform in squares for adults and children.

In Venice old year seen off with fireworks and loud shouts. At midnight, when the chimes begin to strike, mass kissing is held in the squares. In the morning, Italians go to Lido Beach and swim in the cold water, trying to get rid of the consequences of a stormy night.

In Naples, despite the ban, they continue to throw old things out of windows. But tourists are not afraid of this tradition, because they come to the city for the pyrotechnic show, which is considered the best in the country. Non-Polish fireworks are accompanied by pop concerts and a symphony orchestra.

Residents of Bologna celebrate the New Year on a grand scale. Fireworks, concerts, discos. But the main event is the burning of the effigy. A huge straw old man is installed in Piazza Maggiore, and in leap year- an old woman. The effigy is set on fire at midnight. This is how Bologna says goodbye to the old year and welcomes the new one.

Tourists who choose a sunny country will not regret it. Grand parties and concerts, loud fireworks and local traditions will turn the New Year in Italy into one of the most vivid and unforgettable experiences.

Christmas - and immediately go to work, New Year has come, and work again... And this is in a country where offices can be closed for 3 hours at lunchtime In general, while I’m here trying to come to terms with the fact that the holidays are over and I miss the fun January holidays in Russia, I’ll write to you about how the New Year is celebrated in Italy.


If Christmas in Italy is a purely family holiday, then New Year is a reason to go out into the world: go to a disco, to a restaurant or to a lively city square, over which fireworks will flash at midnight. Also, get ready for the fact that if you celebrate the New Year in Italy, there will be no snow here. Although lately Russia has also been guilty of this

New Year traditions

First, about traditions. This is what I dug up from Google.

Red lingerie Worn on New Year's Eve, it brings good luck and love. Who's not married yet? Take note

Twigs mistletoe(Italian vischio) also predict love success. A wreath woven from this plant and hung on the door will protect the house from evil forces. Kissing under a bush means providing yourself with love for a whole year, but a girl who remains alone under the mistletoe will not get married in the new year.

Previously, the New Year's Eve in Italy began with throwing everything old and unnecessary out of the window- most often furniture Now, of course, no one throws a refrigerator from the balcony anymore, but you can throw an old torn sock, right?

Just before midnight the Italians open the window in a dark room to let all the bad out of the house, and in a light room to let the good in. If on this night you are also honored with a visit from a priest, then good luck in the new year will continue to follow you around.

Fireworks- also part of the Italian New Year's traditions. At one time, their noise was supposed to scare away evil spirits, but now fireworks sparkling in the sky simply give residents joy. Although recently this tradition has begun to fade - in many cities in Italy the use of fireworks and firecrackers, which harm our little brothers, has already been banned.

Celebrate the New Year with pockets full of coins or banknotes, and you will not know the shortage!

There are also very strange traditions of celebrating the New Year in Italy. For example, when going outside, look for old man. If you find it, you will have a long life, the Italians believe. A hunchbacks bring good luck

Breaking dishes for luck accepted not only here. Many Italian houses at midnight are filled with the sounds of glasses and plates breaking on the floor, and along with the fragments, all the bad things that have accumulated over the past year go away.

By the way, New Year is called in Italian capodanno- something like “leader of the year.” And Happy New Year greetings in Italian sound like this: “Buon Anno!” - “Have a good year!”

What do Italians eat for New Year?

The festive table is not distinguished by abundance and variety - the same dishes are repeated from year to year. In addition, Italians, unlike us, do not start dinner at midnight - by the time the chimes strike, there may only be a bottle of champagne and light snacks on the table. The most important dishes for the New Year in Italy are cotechino- pork sausage - and lenticchie- lentils, which in appearance resemble a handful of coins, which means they bring prosperity to the house. Cotechino is sometimes replaced by pork leg - zampone. Italians associate a pig with moving forward, but a chicken, on the contrary, “hurries back.” Therefore, you are unlikely to find dishes made from this bird on the holiday table. Vegetarians should not be upset. In addition to lentils, you can cook Italian risotto(rice also symbolizes wealth) and bietola- beet tops. Although any greenery that attracts dollars, that is, “little greenery,” will do here.

Fruit dessert is served grape And pomegranate- again symbols of monetary well-being. There is even an Italian proverb associated with the first one, which says: “He who eats grapes on New Year’s Day counts money all year round” (Chi mangia l’uva per Capodanno conta i quattrini tutto l’anno). Well, what would New Year be without tangerines?

The dinner ends with eating dried fruits (most often dates) and panettone, which I already wrote about in the article about Christmas in Italy.

What to do on New Year's Day?

The peculiarity of the New Year in Italy is that it is rarely celebrated within the walls of an apartment. And definitely not in front of the TV. Young people go to nightclubs, and older ones celebrate the New Year in restaurants. Those who still stayed at home take out the chimes after the strike board games, lotto (tombola) and cards. Moreover, Italians play for money. Otherwise it's not interesting

Here are some ideas on what you can do on the eve of the New Year or immediately after it:

  • Go ice skating- the skating rinks (piste di pattinaggio) may not be impressive in size, but here you can have a lot of fun;



Hooray! We have crossed the threshold of the New Year! For some time we will forget ourselves and, out of habit, write “2015” in place of the date in important documents and school notebooks, but very soon we will completely switch to “2016”. Someone decides to get rid of excess weight, someone - to have a child, and someone else - a cat. The most interesting thing is that no matter in which country we celebrate the New Year, for each of us this day symbolizes new hopes and dreams, which this time must come true. In general, Buon Anno, friends! May the New Year 2016 give each of us what we asked for on New Year's Eve!

The Christmas season in Italy starts on December 8th (with the celebration of the Immaculate Conception) and continues until January 6th, when the Three Wise Men arrived in Bethlehem.

Italy is a country of contradictions. However, Italians are unanimous on one thing: they always look forward to the New Year holidays, starting preparations several months in advance. In this distinguishing feature locals: they love entertainment, and what holiday brings more happiness than Christmas or New Year?

Christmas in Italy: weekends

Officially, Christmas is celebrated for only two days - December 24 and 25, which are also state holidays. Traditionally, these days are spent with family; there is nothing and cannot be more precious than loved ones. On Christmas Eve they attend divine services - for example, in Rome (Vatican) it takes place on. A few days before this, cathedrals, churches and even shop windows are decorated with figurines of angels.

Traditional Christmas fish and meat dishes

At Christmas, Italians do not eat meat; the traditional dish is fish. Perch, salmon, cod, eel - their preparation has been brought to perfection and almost put on industrial footing. The secrets of holiday dishes are passed on from mouth to mouth and only among close relatives.

By the way, about relatives. New Year's celebrations can unite members of one big family even from different corners countries. No matter how they treat each other most of the year, Christmas in Italy is a sacred affair. And the hereditary vicissitudes can be left for later.

Christmas bread, sweets and legends

On the festive night, Italians do not forget about sweets. The dish that almost every resident of the country enjoys is called "zelten". This is a gingerbread with candied fruits and nuts. Each housewife has her own recipe, but, as a rule, the final taste of the delicacy is identical.

Panettone is one of the main characters of Christmas in Italy

Another highlight of the Christmas night in Italy -. Such a dome-shaped loaf, reminiscent of Easter cake. There are two legends about the appearance of this dish on the festive table. According to one of them, the head of the family broke a large loaf of bread near the fireplace at midnight on Christmas Day. Bread crusts were believed to help with sore throats and could be stored until February.

The second legend is romantic. Italians are happy to tell the story of a young man in love who had to become a baker's apprentice in order to be closer to his daughter. Inspired by his feelings, he baked an incredibly delicious cake, thanks to which he became rich and was able to marry a girl.

Whatever legend the Italian adheres to, one of the Christmas cupcakes is sure to end up on his table. Because it's amazingly delicious!

Christmas in Italy: centuries-old traditions

Christmas in most European countries is a family holiday. Italy was no exception. True, this does not mean at all that cities and streets during this period remain the same. Italians consider it their duty to turn a holiday into a fairy tale and do it skillfully. 8-9 days before the main event Christian holiday houses and shops are being transformed. Decorations include fir branches, ribbons, figurines of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, and candles.

By the way, it is customary to not only decorate with candles, but also to bring joy to loved ones. A traditional Christmas gift is also Star of Bethlehem. Here it can be found in various variations, both for a symbolic price and for an absolutely astronomical one.

Santa Claus is called in Italy Babbo Natale. He gives gifts not for the celebration itself, but a little later - on December 26th. It is believed that it doesn’t hurt for children to first sort out presents from relatives, and only then rejoice at the message from Babbo Natale himself.

How to celebrate New Year in Italy

New Year's Eve in Italy is completely different. It seems that on this day local residents are trying with all their might to “get” the carefreeness and fun that they lacked at the decorous table with distant relatives and old people. Christmas, of course, is considered a holiday of family and comfort, but on New Year's Eve, Italians party, believing that they have every reason to do so. Fireworks, holiday fireworks, a sea of ​​drinks and treats - doesn’t this remind you of anything?

A Christmas tree is being placed in front of St. Mark's Basilica in Venice.

Christmas markets are still open in the Dolomites

But let's get back to New Year's traditions. If you're in Italy for New Year's, pay attention to the abundance red things in store windows. Yes, the habit of dressing up in all red for the New Year is a local tradition. It is believed that only this color can bring good luck in the coming year.

Please note: clothes should not just be dominated by red color - from underwear to outerwear, the outfit itself should be new, if possible expensive and absolutely stunning.

We attract good luck, gifts and money

Italians love entertainment, delicious food and beautiful women. On this night, everything intensifies a thousand times, because they also have a belief “as you celebrate the New Year, so will it...” - well, you know, you’re the same. In general, the desire to attract good luck and money is at the top of the long list of all Italian New Year traditions:

During Christmas and New Year, Italian cities are transformed.

  • The first rule that was developed in Italy: no self-respecting person should either work on New Year’s Eve or lend money. Not bad, right?
  • On the night of December 31 to January 1, candles and coins are placed on the windowsills. Local residents firmly believe that this will bring prosperity to the house for the year ahead;
  • When walking along the New Year's streets of Italy, be vigilant: Italians actively get rid of trash during these hours - another tradition. What does this mean? Yes, an elementary injury - everything unnecessary is simply thrown out of the windows. If we are talking about some Naples, then the threat is quite real, don’t laugh;
  • The tradition of eating 12 grapes while the clock is striking is also associated with luck.

On New Year's Eve, children are left without gifts... from their parents. Befana, either a witch or a sorceress, takes on the responsibility of providing the children with gifts. She does this a little later - January 6. This day is the last in a series of winter celebrations, after which the discounts close and cease to apply.

What to bring from Italy for Christmas

Let's try to extract something useful for ourselves from all these traditions. If you happen to be in Italy in December, and upon arriving home you want to please your family and friends with Christmas gifts, take the following things with you:

Limoncello is worth bringing from Italy at any time!

Balsamic vinegar from Modena - a souvenir from Italy for all times

Buy this Befana - someone else's Baba Yaga will definitely not come into your house

  1. For friends who love art, there is no need to shell out for a Caravaggio original. Any store, gallery or souvenir shop sells copies of famous Italian paintings. As an alternative, you can purchase works by local artists, such as frescoes by Alice Pasquini, a famous street artist in Rome.
  2. For gourmets, you can bring a whole suitcase. In Italy there are 138 products marked with a special sign "PDO" or "DOP" (in Italian). These are the highest quality products. The list includes olive oil virgin, pesto and balsamic vinegar of Modena. You can take with you real Nutella (chocolate spread), as well as chocolate products;
  3. For drink lovers Any vintage wine will do, but it’s best to bring “limoncello” - a lemon liqueur that has been popular in Italy for more than a hundred years. Its sunny color and citrus taste will brighten up the coldest winter evening;
  4. Befana doll. This is something like the kind Baba Yaga, who brings children gifts for Christmas. These dolls are sold at all Christmas markets and tourist shops. An Italian legend says that the Magi called Befana to look for little Jesus with them. She said she was too busy, but then changed her mind and since then, every Christmas, she travels around the world in search of the holy child;
  5. Souvenirs from the Vatican. Key rings, mugs, T-shirts, phone cases - this is just a small part of the list of things that have images of the Pope. They are sold in any store;
  6. Symbols of cities. Each Italian city has its own emblem. As you travel around the country and purchase items with these emblems, be sure to find out what they mean. The most famous symbols are the lily (Florence), the she-wolf (Rome) and the lion (Venice);
  7. For religious people, you can purchase a “Christmas nativity scene.”“Nativity scenes” (toy mangers where Jesus was born) are very popular in Catholic countries. No Italian Christmas is complete without them. You can find a wide variety of “nativity scenes”: from traditional houses with figurines self made to chocolate and paste products;
  8. For mother-in-law, mother-in-law and other “difficult” relatives It is best to purchase jewelry from local materials. Dishes, items made from Murano glass, volcanic stone or Umbrian ceramics will appease the most picky person. To ensure a relatively quiet life for yourself for the entire next year, you can spend money on leather bag, laptop belt or case;
  9. For a friend who loves to cook, kitchen utensils are suitable. Help him equip the kitchen in Italian style. To do this, you can buy a slightly old-fashioned Mouli grinder, which grinds the food, but does not make the puree completely smooth.

And, of course, the best Christmas gift you can give yourself is to plan a trip to Italy next year.

Excursions in Italy at the best prices

The most interesting excursions in Italy are routes from local residents. No matter in which city you celebrate Christmas or New Year, you will be greeted by a Russian-speaking guide. He will guide you along a carefully thought-out route and show you your favorite places.

New Year in Italy: interesting facts

Since in this country it is customary to celebrate the New Year on a grand scale, records also occur. Let's list the main ones:

  • Most big Christmas tree in the world they stage it in Italy, in the commune of Gubbio;
  • The place of the largest gathering of people in the country on New Year's Eve becomes Piazza del Popolo - the central square of Rome;
  • The most gorgeous fireworks displays can be seen in Naples;
  • Milan traditionally winter holidays pleases guests with sales.

Italy is so diverse that it brings new surprises every time. You can book a wine tour in Tuscany, go to study painting in Florence or get acquainted with the unique culture of Sicily: any trip will give you an unforgettable experience. Well, closer to December, you can once again go to celebrate Christmas or New Year in Italy.

For one day and... The most, the best, and also the regions of Veneto.

Sunny and cheerful Italy winter holidays celebrates in a big way. If Christmas is purely a family celebration for residents of the country, then New Year is a great occasion to meet with friends and have fun to the fullest. Many travelers want to join the wild celebration, because according to Italian belief, life for a whole 12 months depends on the meeting place of the coming year! New Year in Italy– this is a real extravaganza, colorful fireworks and long celebrations.
Preparations for the winter holidays in Italy, as in other European countries, begin in advance. About a month before Christmas, buildings are decorated with thousands of garlands, shop windows are filled with presepios (nativity scenes - elaborate scenes of the birth of Jesus), and squares bloom with decorated Christmas trees. The beauty of the scenery would stand out even more clearly against the backdrop of snowdrifts, but the weather on New Year's Eve in Italy is usually windy and humid, the air temperature rarely drops to +8 degrees. A warm jacket and waterproof shoes won't hurt.

Babbo Natale and fairy Befana

Christmas sales start across the country on December 25, and Italian residents are actively purchasing New Year's gifts. Here it is customary to do everything on a grand scale, including congratulations. Babbo Natale brings presents to the children. By the way, young Italians are very lucky during the winter holidays: they are congratulated on Christmas, New Year and January 6th. On this day, the fairy Befana brings toys. The custom is associated with a semi-pagan tradition: the Magi (or kings in German tradition) went to visit little Jesus with gifts. On the way, they stopped at the house of a lonely old woman. Having told about the purpose of their journey, the Magi offered to join them, but elderly woman refused. Closing the door behind the travelers, she changed her mind and hurried to Bethlehem with gifts, but the holy family was no longer there. Since then, she has been wandering around the world, giving children toys and sweets in the hope of finding the divine baby. Outwardly, Befana resembles the Russian Baba Yaga with her hooked nose, hump, gray hair and rags, but she is very kind. The fairy loves obedient children and gives coals to pranksters, so Italian sellers are massively offering black caramels on the eve of January 6th.

Italian New Year traditions

At the table on New Year in Italy It is customary to sit down at 21:00 in order to have time to celebrate and pay tribute to the old year. The dishes always include caviar, lentils, smoked fish and baked chicken or turkey - this, according to legend, brings good luck and wealth. They will definitely cook something from pork - in their opinion, this animal is “constantly on the move,” that is, slowly but surely moving forward. The dishes are washed down with local wine, champagne or beer - the Italians call the latter drink “lucky home brew”, so they actively treat guests to it. It should be noted that the residents of this cheerful country are simply obsessed with attracting good luck in the coming year. For example, they try to celebrate the New Year in red - store shelves are simply overflowing with clothes and linen of the appropriate color. Harbingers of prosperity - candles and coins - are placed on the windowsills. With each stroke of the clock they eat a grape - it is believed that swallowing a berry at the same time as the last chime will bring happiness. And everyone knows the tradition of throwing old things out of windows - sofas, of course, no longer fly, since furniture is expensive, but someone’s pants may well fall on you.
Having celebrated the first minutes of the new year, Italians rush outside. The priests are sitting at home - woe to anyone who comes across them. But if someone’s hunchbacked grandfather crosses the road, then good luck will accompany you in all matters until December 31 next year.
On New Year in Italy It is customary to get to know each other in order to spend the most magical night together, so be prepared for unexpected meetings. Italians are especially hospitable and welcome tourists; feel free to respond to greetings: “Bon anno!” (“Have a good year!”).
Italians also set off firecrackers and fireworks en masse, believing that in this way they not only beautifully paint the sky, but also scare away evil spirits that play pranks throughout the year. And early in the morning on January 1, clean “new” water is brought to the house with an olive twig.

What to do on New Year's Eve

Many people celebrate the holiday in Rome at Piazza del Popolo (metro station Lepanto or Spagna). Here, champagne flows like a river, empty bottles break at the foot of the monument, and the most desperate and drunken citizens jump straight into the Tiber River. This bacchanalia frightens some people, so they relocate to the Colosseum area. There's a lovely cafe called the Roof Garden Hotel next to the Diana Hotel. You will find unforgettable views of Rome at night, delicious cuisine and a bill of at least 350 euros. Casa Coppelle on Piazza delle Coppelle is more affordable in terms of prices. Russian tourists like Il Chianti on Via delle Lavatore - there are many compatriots among the staff.
If you find yourself in Milan during the New Year holidays, feel free to go to the Piazza Duomo Cathedral Square near the Cathedral. Interesting events take place there: live music concerts, performances by dancers and acrobats, and various shows. The cathedral looks especially magical this night thanks to the lighting. You can meet cheerful local youth and go to the trendy club Capodanno a Milano.
In romantic Venice, the holiday moves to St. Mark's Square, where everyone unanimously counts down the seconds to the chimes of the 98-meter Campanile bell tower. At midnight, couples exchange kisses, and the sky lights up with thousands of sparks from fireworks.