From “good luck grapes” to yodeling, New Year’s in Europe comes with its own idiosyncratic traditions.
Lenten Campaign 2025
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Think of New Year’s Eve celebrations and fireworks and champagne bottles come to mind. But in some parts of Europe the turn of the new year and the celebration of St. Sylvester, a saint who served as pope during the 4th century, comes with its own idiosyncratic traditions. From lighting a fire to warm up the newborn Christ child in Italy to taking the streets with a torch-lit procession in France, here are some of the most intriguing ways Europeans celebrate the start of the new year.
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