What's a bunnyhug?

Okay. One last post before EJ and I head off into the great unknown wilderness (otherwise known as 'the lake').

What makes a culture develop differently? What makes us 'Canadian' as opposed to 'American'? Or, what makes an Albertan different from a Saskatchewanian?

These two provinces, side by side on the map, often lumped together with Manitoba under the category "the prairies"...There's so much traffic between the two provinces. For every two born-Albertans, I'll bet there's at least one transplanted Saskatchewanian residing in that province.

Yet there is one defining difference between Alberta and Saskatchewan: Hoodies vs. Bunnyhugs. For those of you not from either Saskatchewan or Alberta, a 'hoodie' or 'bunnyhug' are those sweaters that come with an attached hood, and often (but not always) have a pouch pocket on the front. How these two provinces came to know this one article of clothing by a different name, I cannot begin to speculate. Not only do we call the article by a different name, but most of us are completely unware that the other name exists. Go into an Edmonton shop and ask for a bunnyhug and see what kind of response you get. Most likely it will be a blank stare. I mean, even when a Brit asks for chips, we are aware that what he's really asking for is fries.

We think, "Oh, of course we're a little different from those Newfies, and we're a lot different than the Québecois," but there never seems to be much difference between us Western provinces. Yet here it is, proof that however small, there does exist a cultural difference between us.

Personally, I think there is the potential for a great sociological study here. Is it a pure border thing? Those on the east side call it a bunnyhug and those on the west call it a hoodie? Or is a gradual fading, with those close to the border knowing both words?

Yesiree, I believe I've just found a perfect thesis for some graduate student.