2. New Year in Italy - La Festa di
San Silvestro
• La Festa di San Silvestro is celebrated
December 31 on New Year's Eve. As with
most Italian festivals. Families and friends get
together for a huge feast. The star of the dinner
is lentils, symbolizing money and good fortune
for the coming year.

3. • Huge midnight fireworks displays celebrate
the coming of the new year. Some smaller
towns build a bonfire in the central square
where villagers will congregate into the early
morning. If you're near the coast, lake, or river
you will hear boats and ships blowing their
horns.

4. • Dancing is also popular and many towns have
public music and dancing before the fireworks.
Rome, Milan, Bologna, Palermo and Naples
put on huge popular outdoor shows with pop
and rock bands. These events can sometimes
be seen on television, too.

5. • Guests of private or public parties are
sometimes entertained with a game called
"Tombola", similar to Bingo.
• An old custom that is still followed in some
places, especially in the south, is throwing
your old things out the window to symbolize
your readiness to accept the New Year. So,
keep an eye out for falling objects if you're
walking around near midnight!