Old habits die hard, and Buffalonians have a few strange habits we will defend to the death. From the somewhat odd to the downright weird, our Buffalo-centric quirks are a big part of what makes living in the Queen City so great. Try as you might to break them, these nine habits are in our WNY DNA.
1. Hitting people with pussywillows
We go hard with celebrations in Buffalo, and Dyngus Day is the biggest and best of them all! Just beware if you're joining in the festivities for the first time: there is a very real possibility you will be whipped with a pussywillow!
2. Leaving our Christmas lights up until May
Most Western New Yorkers put their lights up in early November (or sooner!) and take them down sometime in the spring. It's just too darn cold to take them down any sooner. Plus, white lights are totally acceptable decor year-round, right?
3. Listening to Christmas music starting November 1st
Thanks to local radio stations like Star 102.5, our Christmas cheer is extended a whole extra month with Christmas music starting November 1st. You either love it or hate it, but you have to deal with it every year either way.
4. Wearing our pajamas inside out and backwards for snow days
We go a step further than just keeping our fingers crossed for a snow day! Students and teachers alike throw on their jammies inside out and backwards as an extra urge for Mother Nature to dump a good amount of snow with hopes for a day off the next morning.
5. Playing the Shout Song at our weddings
Live music? DJ? Five-piece orchestra? Whatever you decide for your wedding music, you better believe Buffalonians will find a way to play the "Shout" song during the reception. The Bills make me wanna...
6. Buying butter lambs every Easter
Each year, Buffalonians flock to the Broadway Market to buy a butter lamb for Easter. The question isn't whether or not this is weird. It's which part do you slice into first?
7. Calling every major road "The"
Can't stop, won't stop. If you ask for directions in Buffalo, you should know that every major route and roadway starts with "The." Exhibit A: The photo above would be "The 90 West" and "The 90 East."
8. Staying out late
If New York City is the city that never sleeps, Buffalo is the city that stays up really really late. Our bars are open until 4AM for last call, a luxury we forget exists until we travel outside of Western New York and have to leave at 2 - aka amateur hour.
9. Getting our daily Tim Horton's fix
Late for work already? Line wrapping around the parking lot? Nothing and no one can break our Timmy Ho's habit. The mornings just go more smoothly with a coffee and donut from Tim's.
What are your weirdest habits as a Western New Yorker? Share them with us in the comments below! We promise not to judge (at least not too hard).
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