Growing up in an Italian household is a little bit loud and whole lot of crazy. There is never a dull moment, and you are sure to have a great time. Italians know how to make you laugh, make you shake your head, and you're guaranteed to eat a delicious meal. For those of you who grew up Italian like myself or have a friend who is Italian, I'm sure you will find a lot of these to be very relatable.
1. Everyone is extremely loud.
It is inevitable that everyone in an Italian family is extremely loud. Whether they are just having a normal conversation, they’re on the phone, or even out in public, Italians are loud wherever they go, and most of the time we don't even realize it.
2. You were taught lifelong values at a young age.
In an Italian family, you are taught some very important things at a young age. It is especially important to know that everything you are given in life will never just be handed to you, but that you have to work for it. My father started working when he was just 15-years-old, and he makes sure that myself and my brother know that. It is very important to him that he instills those same family values on us, that his father taught him.
3. You were probably allowed to drink wine at the age of 15-years-old.
Yes, 15 is a really young age to start drinking, but in an Italian family your parents will usually let you taste a sip of wine at the dinner table. You must be under their supervision, and wine is just about the only thing you will get to try. In some families, the wine is even homemade.
4. Your mom's sauce and meatballs are the only sauce and meatballs.
Every family has their own secret recipe for homemade tomato sauce and meatballs. Usually, your mom's sauce and meatballs are what you're used to, so anyone else's just doesn’t compare. It’s almost a sin to enjoy someone else's recipe. Don’t even dare tell your mother that you tried someone else's and actually thought it was good.
5. There is always a home cooked meal on the table for dinner.
Almost every night, you are guaranteed to come home to a home cooked meal on the table. It’s rare that your family goes out to dinner, because let's face it: who wants to go out to dinner when your mom can cook a better meal anyways?
6. Espresso doesn’t need to be a morning cup of coffee; it’s good all day long.
Typically, American coffee is something you drink in the morning. With Italians, we can drink a shot of espresso at almost any given time of the day. Whether it’s after a meal or just as a midday pick-me-up, it’s always a must. Coffee is enjoyed even late at night; that’s what decaf is for.
7. Conversations are often spoken half in English, half in Italian.
In most Italian households, someone speaks the language. In my household, my mother was actually born in Italy, so she speaks Italian pretty well. Whenever she is on the phone with my grandmother, it’s always a conversation I can't understand because I don’t speak the language. Whenever we have family over the house, you often times start to hear everyone speaking half English, half Italian.
8. You eat the feast of the seven fishes on Christmas Eve.
If you grew up in a true Italian household, you will know this tradition all too well. Every year for Christmas Eve, we celebrate the feast of the seven fishes. Yes, seven. Or in my family's case, it’s often times more like 15 fishes. It wouldn’t be right if we didn’t follow traditions, and it isn’t the holidays in my family if we don’t go all out.
9. Everyone talks with their hands.
I often times get called out for doing this myself. We always use our hands to back up what were saying. When we’re talking, our hands can’t just sit at our sides or in our laps, they have to be moving while we’re telling a story or having a conversation with someone.
10. Your mother often cooks enough food to feed a small army even if it’s just for four people.
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but you know you will never go hungry in an Italian household. There is always way too much food, and you know you’re going to be eating leftovers for the next three days.
11. Your parents always make sure anyone who's over the house stays for dinner.
It’s always a given; whenever there is company over the house, whether it’s family or just some friends, they are always invited to stay for dinner. Even if they say they're not hungry, you know they are not leaving until they have been fed.
12. Our conversations can often times be misunderstood as yelling at each other.
Italians are not only loud, but we like to yell. Even if we’re not arguing or fighting, we’re always yelling. This goes hand-in-hand with the fact that we are very loud. People will often think we are angry or mad because we seem so frustrated, but really that’s just our normal speaking voice.
13. Sunday dinner is the best meal of the week.
Ah, finally. Sunday is always the day we all look forward to the most. You can almost guarantee a huge Sunday dinner with the family... homemade pasta, your mom’s tomato sauce and meatballs, a nice glass of wine: it’s all about family and good conversation, and it’s always the best meal of the week.
So yes, being Italian is a bit crazy sometimes but we sure know how to have a good time. Family always comes first; even if we're arguing, we always manage to work things out. There really isn't much that can't be solved over a nice dish of pasta, a glass of wine, and a cannoli for dessert.
