New Year's Eve in Italy

New Year’s Eve, also known as St Sylvester’s Feast (La Festa di San Silvestro) in Italy, falls on December 31. It is a festive time of the year for many Italians in the lead up to New Year’s Day.

timeanddate.com’s Countdown to the New Year application can help people keep track of their New Year countdown in various places around the world.

New Year's Eve is a festive occasion that is celebrated by many Italians.

©iStockphoto.com/knape

What do people do?

Many Italians love to celebrate New Year’s Eve with firework displays, festivals, bonfires, concerts, and parties. Dinners may include meals such as Cotechino (Italian sausage) and Lenticchie (lentils). Italian sparkling wines such as prosecco or spumante are toasted to farewell the old year and celebrate the New Year.  

Public life

New Year’s Eve is not a national public holiday in Italy. However, It is a busy time of the year for restaurants and hotels, and city centers are often crowded due to New Year’s Eve events.

Background

New Year's Eve is celebrated in many countries worldwide on December 31. It the last day of the year and the day before New Year’s Day, January 1, which marks the start of a new year according to the Gregorian calendar.

Symbols

Pork represents the fullness or richness of life, and lentils symbolize wealth and money, so according to superstition, the New Year could bring prosperity if these meals are eaten on New Year’s Eve.

About New Year's Eve in other countries

New Year's Eve Observances

Related holiday

• New Year's Day ―Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Other holidays in December 2013 in Italy

• Feast of the Immaculate Conception ―Sunday, December 8, 2013
• Christmas Day ―Wednesday, December 25, 2013
• St. Stephen's Day ―Thursday, December 26, 2013