13 Strange Habits Every Pennsylvanian Will Defend To The Death

Pennsylvanians sure do know how to live life to the fullest. Others may view the habits of Pennsylvanians as strange or offbeat but, really, would we have it any other way? What might seem like a strange habit to outsiders is simply part of what makes living in Pennsylvania so special.

1. Eating scrapple and…

Scrapple is uniquely Pennsylvanian. It's also uniquely Pennsylvanian to either love it or hate it. Which side do you fall on?

2. Topping off our sandwiches and salads with fries.

Okay, so maybe topping sandwiches and salads with fries is a predominately Western Pennsylvanian thing. It is a popular habit that some may look upon as, well, strange.

3. Celebrating special occasions at the fire hall and…

We celebrate it all - weddings, anniversaries, graduations, and birthdays - at our local fire hall. And, why not? There's plenty of space, great acoustics, and it's affordable.

4. Shopping at 100 mile yard sales.

Who doesn't love a good sale? Pennsylvanians regularly shop at mud sales, flea markets, and yard sales. But, there's no yard sale as epic as the 100 Mile Yard Sale, set for July 14 and 15 this summer.

5. Watching a big wrench…

Dropping a traditional ball on New Year's Eve is so, well, predictable. And, if you're not from here, you'll quickly learn that Pennsylvania is anything but predictable. Revelers gather in Mechanicsburg to watch the wrench drop.

6. An oversized mushroom and…

Celebrators flock to Kennett Square to watch an oversized mushroom drop. Why a mushroom? Kennett Square has earned the title of "Mushroom Capital of the World."

7. A Hershey kiss drop on New Year’s Eve.

Munch on your favorite Hershey's treat on New Year's Eve in Hershey. Party goers watch - what else? - a huge Hershey Kiss drop at the stroke of midnight.

8. Congregating to watch outhouse races and…

From dachshund races to outhouse races, Pennsylvanians sure know how to have a lot of fun. Build your own outhouse and find out for yourself by entering the Outhouse Races in Dushore in August 2017.

9. Lawnmower races.

Don't worry if outhouses aren't exactly your style. Gas up your ride-on lawnmower and enter a lawnmower race.

10. Choosing sides by calling it pop or soda or…

Pop or soda? Which is it? Well, Pennsylvanians can't seem to decide. For the eastern half of the state, it's usually soda while it's pop with the western half of PA. But, that's not the only topic on which we diverge...

11. Stopping at Wawa or Sheetz.

It's either Wawa or Sheetz for Pennsylvanians. Which convenience store do you prefer?

12. Calling it PA and…

We live in PA. We love PA. And, we're the only state that refers to our state by its abbreviation rather than pronouncing the whole name.

13. Being fiercely loyal to our home state.

We love our home state. Sure, we may have some complaints and might even make fun of it in jest. But, deep down, we're fiercely loyal to Pennsylvania and will defend it when others insult it.

If you grew up in Pennsylvania, you likely have already developed some of these strange yet endearing habits of Pennsylvanians.