14 Telltale Signs You’re From the South

Southern roots are more than talking with a charming drawl or driving a pick-up truck.

Photo courtesy of Lettermade.

Regardless of where you currently live, there are particular telltale signs that reveal a truly Southern spirit.

Here are 14 ways your Southern roots always seem to shine through.

If you love…

Sweet Tea

There’s only one way to drink it and that’s “sweet.” The very idea of a diet or unsweetened tea is positively ridiculous.

Hey Y’all

You can’t help but say it. You may be the most well-spoken executive in your office but every now and then you slip and insert “Y’all” into your conversation.

Pearls

Your jewelry collection includes at least one strand of pearls. Whether or not you routinely wear them, you have them safely tucked away in your jewelry box. You were undoubtedly given a pearl necklace or bracelet for a milestone. Perhaps an heirloom piece of jewelry was given to you by your parents or passed along from your grandmother or favorite aunt.

To Say “Ma’am” and “Sir”

Southern manners taught you that this is how you address your elders, no matter the age. It’s an indelible part of the vernacular. Although, I work hard at training adults to lose it and use the person’s name instead, in the south it’s a tough habit to break.

Monograms

Photo courtesy of Lettermade.

Cocktail napkins, stationery, bath towels, clothing, backpacks – you name it, it has a monogram on it. Yours are front and center, beautifully stitched in block or fancy letters.

To Be the Ultimate Hostess

Hospitality runs in your veins. Your personal code of conduct is based on impeccable manners, making others feel welcome and entertaining in a memorable fashion. You are always prepared for a drop in guest or two or three.

Your Sunday Menu

Certain foods are in your DNA. You were raised on cherry pie, pound cake, fried green tomatoes, black-eyed peas, fried chicken, banana pudding and pimiento cheese. Salad traditionally involved various forms of produce encased in mayonnaise or a Jello mold. (Cranberry mold is still my favorite!)

The South’s Best Butts

Matt Moore’s cookbook, The South’s Best Butts, offers great barbecue tips and recipes.  Every southern state is convinced they have the best. You simply smile politely when others claim to be number one, but know your home state has the only true version of smoked ribs and brisket.

Church Supper

Whether you were raised to say dinner or supper, everyone remembers going to a banquet hall or lawn after church to share a meal with family and friends. Traditionally, supper was thought of as a light meal which preceded dinner. Today, most people use the word “dinner” when referring to the evening meal.

Your Football Team

High school and college sports are a way of life. Important football games go on the calendar first. If there are no conflicts, you are free to attend birthdays, weddings, funerals and other important occasions. Football-based rivalries between schools run deep and last for generations.

Your Porch Swing

You might live in an apartment in the middle of a big city today, but some of your fondest memories involve gently swaying on a swing on a wrap-around porch. Could be at your grandmother, aunt or cousins house, but you have a recollection of a swing with a semi-rusty chain holding it up.

Your Choice of Sodas or Pop

Depending on where you were raised, you will have your version of soda pop. Big Red, Coke, Pepsi or Root Beer– everyone has their favorite.

Fireflies

Memories of summer nights are etched in your brain. The soundtrack to the summer evenings of your youth involved the croaking of bullfrogs or the chirping of cicadas, accompanied by the glow of lightning bugs (the correct Southern term for “fireflies”). You stayed out until your mom called you in for dinner or a bath. Perhaps even caught a firefly or two and punched a jar with holes.

Tea Time

A pretty tea set is displayed prominently in your home, whether you actually use it or not. Knowing the different types of tea is gravy to your southern mashed potatoes. Collecting teacups and sharing a cup of tea with a friend makes life sweeter and builds southern memories for many years to come.

For more of Diane’s etiquette tips, you may enjoy 10 Steps to Living a Full Life. Read her posts on Inc., and HuffPost, “like” The Protocol School of Texas on Facebook, and follow her on Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter. Diane’s latest book, Modern Etiquette for a Better Life is available on Amazon.