The Italian New Year’s Eve custom involving red underwear is the wearing of red underwear for luck and prosperity.
In Italy, red clothing or underwear is widely associated with New Year wishes for good fortune, love, and prosperity. The custom is especially linked with the final night of the year, when many people wear something red while celebrating the arrival of January.
The exact origin is not firmly established. Explanations connect red with vitality, protection, fertility, and the color’s older associations with power and celebration. Modern versions of the tradition are often playful and commercial as well as symbolic.
The custom varies by family and region, so it is not a universal requirement of Italian New Year celebrations. It is also separate from the major public festivities, fireworks, meals, and midnight toasts that mark Capodanno throughout Italy.