Red is the Italian New Year's Eve garment color traditionally associated with good luck and love.
In Italy, wearing red clothing or red underwear around New Year's is a popular folk custom. Red is linked with vitality, passion, love, and the hope of attracting good fortune in the coming year. The tradition is especially associated with clothing worn on the night of December 31.
The practice is a superstition rather than a legal or religious requirement, so its details vary by family and region. Some people emphasize that the item should be new, while others focus simply on the color. Commercial displays often make red underwear particularly visible during the holiday season.
This custom is separate from the Italian New Year's Eve meal of lentils and cotechino, which is commonly associated with prosperity. Both traditions express hopes for the year ahead, but red clothing is the answer to the color question.