Don't know if this is exclusive only to Italians, but a couple more observations:
I've noticed that Italians can be quite loud when in a group. Why my mother's natural speaking voice is kind of loud. Someone could think she was mad.
On Sundays we always had to get dressed up. We'd stay in our "church" clothes all day. I remember playing outside all dressed up.
On a different note, it "was" tradition for the oldtimers anyway, for the woman to wear black when her husband passes away. My grandmother lost her husband when he was 52. She died at 90 and wore black her entire life after his death (approx 30 some years.
TIS
