My cultural informant was born in Italy and raised with her parents. She moved to the United States at age 10, but still visits Italy whenever her family can. Now he's in his third year of college and still talks to friends and family who live in Italy. He tells me how Italians are known for their expressiveness, liveliness and how sociable they are. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay Italians have a motto that family is extremely important, their family harmony is focused on the extended family rather than the nuclear family. Italians have frequent family gatherings and love spending time with their family members. Children are raised to remain close to family even as adults and incorporate their future family into a larger network. They celebrate most Christian holidays, for example, the celebration of the Epiphany, celebrated on January 6, is very similar to Christmas. According to legend, Belfana, an old lady who flies on her broomstick, delivers gifts and sweets to good children. Easter Monday, the Monday after Easter, typically includes family picnics to celebrate the start of spring. November 1st commemorates Saints' Day, a religious holiday during which Italians typically decorate the graves of deceased relatives with flowers. Many Italian cities and towns celebrate the feast of their patron saint. September 19th, for example, is the feast of San Gennaro, patron saint of Naples. April 25 is Liberation Day, marking the 1945 liberation that ended World War II in Italy in 1945. Italians enjoy being surrounded by those they love and passing down traditions to future generations. The “culture” of Italy is beautiful and unique. A clear difference between foreign and Italian cultures is the way Italians will greet each other. The most common way to greet someone and say goodbye is with a light kiss on each cheek. This practice will usually seem strange to a foreigner and Italians expect it and most Italians usually stick to the typical handshake to make the stranger feel more comfortable. Another aspect of this culture that may seem strange to foreigners is the way Italians dress. A foreigner will be the obvious standout if they haven't dressed in the same up-to-date manner as the rest of the culture. Italians of all ages typically dress the same way, following the latest trends and fashion codes. The only real clothing restrictions occur when entering a church or sometimes even a museum, there are typically written rules for appropriate attire. Italians believe that their food is important in their culture, for example dishes like pizza and staples like spaghetti have become well known around the world, but the dining etiquette adopted by Italian culture is very different from trending practices nowadays. It is in their culture that Italians always try to cook meals to perfection, so they gather the family around a dining table and eat heartily. This time of day is special for them because they talk about what may have happened or any problems they may have had during the day at work, school or in relationships. They discuss and help by providing solutions or simply listen and give emotional support. Family comes first for them, which means they will do anything to make sure you know you have their support and love. Through this whole interview with my informant I realized how many cultures are similar.