This is because Italians love a well-made bed, and the bedding or lenzuola must be always just so. The bed sheets are mostly of good quality cotton, or even silk. White is usually the colour of choice. The mistress of a house, even a modern woman with jobs outside her home, sees an unmade bed as a sign of slovenliness. When the bed is made, the sheet and bedspread are impeccably straightened, and the cushions and pillows kept in their proper place.
Making a bed has its cultural significance, because there exist traditions regarding the making of the matrimonial bed. The bed on which the married couple spend their first night is supposed to be made by at least two virgins, or in some areas of Italy, by the sisters and the mother of the bride. In earlier times, the gifts of money received by the newlyweds were arranged on the bed itself in some parts of Italy, and the bride received her guests while relaxing on her matrimonial bed, signifying her prosperity and happiness in marriage.
