Regional Differences

[Conservative Hippie]

Weird to me that in some regions you are expected to give a cash gift to "cover your plate" instead of a gift-gift, or that parties without alcohol served are not parties at all. We also have some customs that are more related to our church's culture rather than our geographical location.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

Speaking of weddings, not sure when or where the "candy bar" trend started.

Hope I don't offend anyone, cause I thought they looked lovely, but I showed DH the pics and he said, "I'd rather have a sandwich".

The next trend in weddings -- a sandwich bar!

FWIW, I had a candy bar at my daughter's 13th birthday and it was a huge hit.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

The "attack of the fire ants" incident with DS a couple of weeks ago was another one. I had never seen red ants before and knew nothing about them.

Learned that they were more of a problem in southern states and that with our winter climate up here, they were unlikely to survive (apparently not necessarily true).

Funny to hear so many others' experiences with them that were so similar to ours! I couldn't believe my eyes and ears when DS came flying in the house screaming "It hurts here and here and here and here and here!"

 

[jen0610]

Sure, but just so you know, I'm expecting a awesome cocktail hour with raw bar and passed hors d'oeuvres, a sit down dinner with many courses, open bar and viennese table, plus lots of dancing!

Ok...I'll bite. What the heck is a viennese table??? Never heard of this before.

 

[Mkrop]

I think the wedding things are what get me...I cant imagine traveling all that way and being served finger sandwiches, cake and punch.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

FWIW, I had a candy bar at my daughter's 13th birthday and it was a huge hit.

Absolutely. My DD13 was taking notes.

 

[PUZZLDY5]

I grew up in PA. Moved to TN when I was in my teens. Talk about culture shock. A few examples

A "crick" in PA is something that runs through someones back yard.
A "crick" in TN is something that happens to ones neck when they sleep

A "sack" in PA is a burlap potato bag
A "sack" inTN is a paper bag

PA yellow
TN yeller

PA window
TN winder

PA market
TN grocery store

I could go on an on. Took me forever and a lot of strange looks before I got the lingo here.

 

[Plannin'Shannon]

, or that parties without alcohol served are not parties at all.

That there are people who think that if you enjoy alcohol at parties and find it unusual if alcohol isn't served, you must automatically be an alcoholic or that guests will be stumbling around in a drunk and disorderly state.

This observation is in no way directed at you, Conservative Hippie! It was only your observation that made me remember it.

 

[JaneBanks]

Ok...I'll bite. What the heck is a viennese table??? Never heard of this before.

A viennese hour is and extra hour added to the of a wedding where they serve nothing but desserts.

Sometimes people have a full hour where a separate room is used or half of the reception room or, some will just have desert trays at each table or just a single table filled with deserts.

 

[mrodgers]

As a pp stated, that people don't have access to grocery stores!
I have access to at least 8 stores (either that are grocery stores or sell groceries in some way, shape or form) in a 10 minute drive from my house!
Soda=pop=coke=etc is another one that gets me.

I don't think the grocery store as a regional thing. It is more a city/town vs. country thing. I do have 2 stores within 10 minutes if I want very limited product availability and twice the cost. Everything else that you could actually use to grocery shop at would be 45 minutes away.

We (wife and I) just talked about this on Sunday since we had driven down through the larger town and down to Pittsburgh to visit my grandmother. As much as having stuff right there would be nice, looking at everyone stacked on top of one another as far as housing would drive us crazy. Even driving through my mother's neighborhood, which is about 1/4 acre lots, I feel claustrophobic and closed in. My mother sits on her deck and reads while her neighbor is right next to her mowing his yard. I can walk out naked and wave to my neighbors and they would wave back not ever knowing I was waving to them naked.

 

[Dee & Greg]

Sweet Tea vs. Unsweetened Tea!

He: From Spartanburg, SC
Her: From upstate MA

He grumbles because he can't find Sweet Tea in the NE.. "they want me to put sugar in ma tea"!

She says sweet tea is disgusting.

They've been together 20 years, and I still don't know how they communicate!

 

[spacemountainmom]

Heck, I am suprised at differences in my own family.

Most graduation open houses that I have been to offer a good variety of food and drink. Many people do the traditional "Ham bun" as we call it, but there are plenty of veggie trays, salads....etc. However some are more elaborate with hot and cold foods. My personal favorite was the build your own taco bar.

My cousin's oldest daughter graduated a few years ago and we were served half slices of bread with half slices of kraft american cheese. There were a few plates of cookies around as well. Drinks consisted of tap water and kool-aid lemonade. They have well water and it was pretty awful. I couldn't believe it. My cousin doesn't like to cook, but good grief.....call the deli and order a few meat and cheese plates!

We had to travel two hours from home to attend this function. When her second daughter graduated, I did not attend. I had a conflict with my schedule and didn't go. I am sure I didn't miss much, but my mom was really mad at me for not going.

I realize the party is for the graduate and not the guest, but I thought that was pretty bad. If you don't want to put the effort in, then don't have the party.

 

[Wendy31]

Regarding weddings, I'm from the South - southeast TN.

So, when DH & I got married in 1995, we had the typical southern church wedding & reception. Our reception was in the reception hall of the church, but so was everyone else's in our circle, so it wasn't really a big deal. In fact, our reception menu was more varied & had more to offer than most other weddings we attended - we actually had some hot items on our buffet which was considered, at the time in our "circle", to be fancy.

But, *sigh*, no dancing, no drinking, no expensive gifts, etc. If someone had attended one of my showers, they didn't bring a gift to the wedding. The biggest cash gift we got was $100, & we thought that was extravagant of the gift-giver. Most everyone brought actual gifts to the wedding. I had so many frames & casserole dishes! LOL!

However, when my sister got married in 1999, she was worried because she marrying someone from Detroit, MI. She convinced my mom that our little southern church weddings were going to look really cheap & gauche to her fiance's northern family. So my sister had a much more lavish affair than I did.

To this day, I'm still miffed!

 

[Robinrs]

Wow, I can't even fathom to remember how many things I found out on these boards!!!

1: New Jersey people don't pump their own gas. Been there MANY times (half my family lives there, but never drove there)


2: People own horses..

3: Some people do not lock their doors... that BLOWS my mind.

4: Certain states really believe they're superior to all the others .. you can guess WHICH!

5: More of a social difference than regional: SAHMs Since I basically meet all my female friends in networks and at work, this is a concept that totally bewilders me!

 

[momto2girls]

Wow, I can't even fathom to remember how many things I found out on these boards!!!

1: New Jersey people don't pump their own gas. Been there MANY times (half my family lives there, but never drove there)


2: People own horses..

3: Some people do not lock their doors... that BLOWS my mind.

4: Certain states really believe they're superior to all the others .. you can guess WHICH!

5: More of a social difference than regional: SAHMs Since I basically meet all my female friends in networks and at work, this is a concept that totally bewilders me!

I'm a SAHM who owns a horse. Why does owning a horse surprise you?

 

[clori]

Prior to the dis I had no idea that there were public schools that have a registration fee and/or book fee. Actually once you start school you just keep going year to year so I don't even know what registering for each year is.

 

[mjkacmom]

Wow, I can't even fathom to remember how many things I found out on these boards!!!

1: New Jersey people don't pump their own gas. Been there MANY times (half my family lives there, but never drove there)


2: People own horses..

3: Some people do not lock their doors... that BLOWS my mind.

4: Certain states really believe they're superior to all the others .. you can guess WHICH!

5: More of a social difference than regional: SAHMs Since I basically meet all my female friends in networks and at work, this is a concept that totally bewilders me!

I don't know how to pump gas, we only lock our doors at night (both my front and back doors are wide open right now), and most of my friends are SAHM's (some have gone back to work now that their kids are older, but there are still plenty of use who go out for coffee once a week). The great thing about having your friends be SAHM's is the fact that you met through your kids, so at get-togethers, everyone has a friend.

 

[Robinrs]

I'm a SAHM who owns a horse. Why does owning a horse surprise you?

The thread is about regional differences. I've only lived in urban areas and I've never know a SOUL who owned a horse.

I've read several threads of people who own horse here on the DIS. I LOOOVE them and it just blows my mind to actually have one as a pet.

 

[tink20]

Prior to the dis I had no idea that there were public schools that have a registration fee and/or book fee. Actually once you start school you just keep going year to year so I don't even know what registering for each year is.

DD is a senior, goes to a public school. On registration day:

$50 parking decal
$50 senior dues
$20 reg. fee (locker etc.)

After school started

$40 for Leadership class
$50 for Co-op (early release to go to work)
$30 for Business class
$15 for Geology

Lets just say: I am sick of paying fees...lol (not really laughing, )

 

[Conservative Hippie]

Regarding weddings, I'm from the South - southeast TN.

So, when DH & I got married in 1995, we had the typical southern church wedding & reception. Our reception was in the reception hall of the church, but so was everyone else's in our circle, so it wasn't really a big deal. In fact, our reception menu was more varied & had more to offer than most other weddings we attended - we actually had some hot items on our buffet which was considered, at the time in our "circle", to be fancy.

But, *sigh*, no dancing, no drinking, no expensive gifts, etc. If someone had attended one of my showers, they didn't bring a gift to the wedding. The biggest cash gift we got was $100, & we thought that was extravagant of the gift-giver. Most everyone brought actual gifts to the wedding. I had so many frames & casserole dishes! LOL!

However, when my sister got married in 1999, she was worried because she marrying someone from Detroit, MI. She convinced my mom that our little southern church weddings were going to look really cheap & gauche to her fiance's northern family. So my sister had a much more lavish affair than I did.

To this day, I'm still miffed!

Your wedding sounds like mine, and nearly every other wedding I've been to!