In Italy’s New Year tradition, red underwear is commonly worn to symbolize luck and love.
The custom is associated with wearing something red on New Year’s Eve, especially red underwear, as a charm for prosperity, romance, and protection from bad fortune. In some versions, the garment is expected to be new and may be given as a gift, although practices differ by family and region.
Red is a color with broad festive and symbolic associations in Italian culture, but this custom should not be treated as a universal rule followed by every Italian. It is one of many New Year traditions found across the country. Italy also celebrates the evening with communal meals, fireworks, and the midnight transition into Capodanno, the Italian New Year.