Red underwear is traditionally associated with good luck on New Year's Eve in Italy. Wearing red garments, especially underwear, is a popular custom intended to attract love, prosperity, or good fortune in the coming year.
The practice is often connected with older ideas about red as a protective and auspicious color. Some accounts also relate it to Roman traditions in which red symbolized power, health, and fertility. Modern versions of the custom are usually playful rather than formal religious observances.
Italian New Year's Eve celebrations also commonly include a festive meal and public events. Customs vary by region and family, so red underwear is a widespread tradition rather than a universal rule followed by every Italian household.