11 Extremely Weird Things People In Delaware Do
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Katy
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Little ole Delaware is BIG on personality and sometimes we let our freak flag fly pretty high. Here are 11 things that often pop to the top of the weird Delaware things people who live here have been known to do.
1. Jump willingly into freezing water in the dead of winter.
Every winter, thousands of Delawareans strip down into their bathing suits to run into the Atlantic Ocean at the annual Lewes Polar Bear Plunge. Why? It's all to raise money for Special Olympics.
2. Watch horseshoe crabs mate.
Delaware's bay beaches are host to the largest concentration of horseshoe crabs in the entire world. Every year, the males and females visit our beaches to lay their eggs. (Insert joke about long moonlit walks on the beach here.)
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3. Freak out when approaching a traffic circle.
Neighboring New Jersey used to be where you'd find all the traffic circles along the Mid-Atlantic, but they seem to be popping up as the state population grows. This was NOT covered in Delaware drivers ed!
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4. Eat muskrat, or at least know where it is served.
Muskrat season runs from December through March in Delaware and this local delicacy from yesteryear is still found in some local dives. Most say it tastes, well, like marsh mud; for others, it's a classic and just a part of life in Delaware.
5. Satisfy their java junkie cravings from either Wawa, Royal Farms, or Dunkin' Donuts.
Starbucks? Nope. We prefer a buck a cup and for the most part, Delawareans have their preference of one of the above three spots for a cup of morning joe. It's just one of those strange things about Delaware.
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6. Spend ridiculous amounts of cash on license plates.
Low numbers. Historic plates. Black and white tags. Vanity tags. Delawareans love them and are known to shell out big bucks (like hundreds of thousands even) to get just the right plate for their ride.
7. Have a sports team identity crisis.
Delaware has no professional sports teams, so we tend to be torn between Philadelphia, Baltimore, and D.C. teams. Toss in some Pittsburgh and Dallas fans and talk about a sideline brawl!
8. Give driving directions based on where something used to be, and distance in minutes not miles.
You: Where's the new Children's Museum?
Me: You know where the Big Kahuna used to be?
You: The one with the volcano on the roof?
Me: Yes. That's where it is. It'll take about 30 minutes to get there.
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9. Buy the best chicken and dumplings or fried oysters from a firehouse or church.
Sometimes you have to look beyond the restaurants to get delicious Delaware food. Not a weekend goes by when a Delawarean can't get great food from a firehouse, church, or community fundraiser.
10. Put up LSD stickers that do not refer to an illegal substance.
Here LSD means Lower, Slower Delaware. Sure, we usually hear it slower, lower Delaware, but that doesn't look nearly as cool on a sticker.
11. See how far we can make pumpkins fly.
Before the TV cameras and major news coverage, before insurance issues and event logistic nightmares, a handful of Delawareans got together in a local farmer's field to see how far they could "chunk" a pumpkin. What turned into the World Championship Punkin' Chunkin' started small...and weird. Here's hoping it stays in our state of chunkin' fans.
Living in Delaware is pretty great, isn’t it? What other weird Delaware things that people who live here do? Let us know!
Want to show off your Delaware pride? Take a look at the selection of apparel and accessories from our friends at Wear Your Roots!
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