Say Ciao to Bad Luck With This Italian New Year's Tradition

It's out with the old, in with the new when Italians ring in the New Year

We Italians are always a little bit superstitious, and when the New Year comes around, our celebrations are all about doing everything you can to secure good luck for the coming year. We eat lucky food like lentils (their coin shape is supposed to bring good fortune), light fireworks to scare away anything that might bring us harm, and do a deep clean to get rid of any bad karma that might be lurking from the previous year.

In the south of Italy, they take this good-luck cleaning to the next level by throwing out old pots and pans to ring in the new year. After all, when the kitchen is the heart of the home, it makes perfect sense to welcome a fresh new year by getting rid of anything that keeps it from running smoothly. In some towns, they take this tradition so seriously that families throw those old pots and pans out the window when the clock strikes midnight! 

While I wouldn't recommend throwing cast iron out your window, this is the perfect time to take stock of your stock pots, check for scratched non-stick coatings, and say goodbye to dented or damaged pans. And whatever cookware you do keep, now's a great time to make sure it's sparkling clean and bright. Here's to a fresh new year!