Italy Customs, Traditions, Lifestyle

Italy customs, traditions, and lifestyle are rather complex but if someone were to ask me to summarize them, I would say that these factors are based on pride, image, food, resilience and humor.

Pride is an attribute that lingers in Italy customs, traditions and lifestyle. Italians are proud of who they are. It is a boastful population but not in the negative sense but rather in a constructive way. They will boast about everything from their political party and why it is the best to why their olive oil is better than the neighbors'. They are proud of themselves but not necessarily of what they do. It is rare that you hear an Italian say that his profession is better than the other's. They are proud of their possessions which takes me to the next attribute.

Image and working on your image is probably one of the most visible traits of the Italian which is seen within Italy customs, traditions and lifestyle. It is no wonder that Italian design is considered the best for clothing, footwear, handbags, automobiles,etc. It is commonplace that you dress to be seen. You drive that car to be seen. This is how it has always been in Italy. The famous "passeggiata per il corso" or stroll along the main town street is what allows the Italian to be seen. Image is everything.

Alongside these traits is their food. Food is at the center of everything and Italy customs, traditions and lifestyle revolve around food. Doctor appointments, important company meetings, conferences revolve around food. You just do not make appointments anywhere near the time of a meal. You just do not. On the most part in Italy everything shuts down during that all important time of day...meal time. And just before meal time, there is a fervor of traffic and movement....to get to that meal. Oh and do not ever dare say "it's just food" which equates to saying something derogatory about a loved one!

There is no population more resilient than the Italian one. This is another trait that runs throughout Italy customs, traditions and lifestyle. A population that on the most part has to depend on itself without the help of a successful social or political structure. These are people who really know how to survive even with the meekest economy, year after year. These are people who get by. They will do what they have to do to make things work.

The last trait that runs rampant in Italy customs, traditions, and lifestyle is humor. Italians really know how to look at life, be positive, let things roll off their shoulder. Italy is not a place for panic, stress, anxiety or "having to get there on time". You get there when you get there. Italians have a way of using humor to alleviate problems. Italian humor is special, low key and not sarcastic. Often times they are laughing at themselves!