Seven Dead Giveaways that I’m Not in the South…

1. Professional Sports. People are really passionate about the Bears up here, and the Cubs or White Sox (never both), but I rarely hear about college games and even less about high school. Down South, those are what really matter.
 

2. Casual church. It’s rare for me to spot a tie on Sunday. Or heels (other than on me). Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s great that people don’t feel like they have to dress up for church, but does nobody (else) feel like dressing up a bit is actually an expression of who they are?
 
3. Real butter. It’s on your table in restaurants. I have never understood the South’s obsession with margarine. 

4. Special Lenten Menus. Even Chick-fil-A is offering a “fresh cod” sandwich on Fridays up here. It’s very disorienting. 

 
5. Wedding Receptions. I’ve yet to go to one up here that’s not a full dinner reception. Down South, all the receptions I attended were cake receptions. The only dinner reception I’d been to of before I moved up here was for a friend whose family were transplants from Jersey.
 
6. The Iced Tea. One word…blech!
 
7. Snow on Easter. Sigh. Maybe it will make some of the trees look like they are in bloom. I MISS DOGWOODS!