Millions of Italians immigrated to the United States over the past few centuries, leaving America with a thriving hybrid Italian-American population. The Italian-American story is a unique one; American families today with Italian heritage may celebrate traditions found neither in Italian or in traditional American culture. Here are some of the most common Italian-American traditions in modern culture.

Catholicism

Italian-Americans tend not to be nearly as devout as their Italian counterparts across the sea, but Catholicism definitely reigns supreme among Italian-American families. Holidays often revolve around a church service, and families celebrate a child’s decision to become a priest in the same way other families celebrate “prestigious” careers like being a doctor or a lawyer. Italian-American families have a huge respect for religious saints; their children are often named after well-known saints. Saints also crop up regularly in day-to-day life. For example, if something’s lost, many families pray to Saint Anthony, the patron saint of lost things. A popular rhyme when something gets lost is “Tony, Tony, come around; something’s lost and can’t be found.”

Meals

Nearly every Italian-American family has their own unique recipe for various pasta sauces. Other popular recipes that have been passed down for generations include lasagna, Italian wedding soup, or cannolis. In Italy, meals are very light with plenty of fresh ingredients. Italian-American dishes have manifested towards the heavy side, with hearty pastas, mozzarella cheese, and thick meats reigning supreme. More traditional Italian families will call their pasta toppings “gravy,” others resort to the more widely accepted “sauce.”