This Is The Worst Thing About Living In Stars Hollow On Gilmore Girls

Who wouldn't want to live in Stars Hollow, CT, the quirkiest town to ever quirk? On Gilmore Girls, Lorelei (Lauren Graham) runs off to the quaint New England town after getting knocked up at 16 and running away from her rich parents. Stars Hollow accepts Lorelei as one of their own, a free spirit who fits right in with a town full of total nutbars. And we say that with love.

Stars Hollow is chock-a-block with interesting characters and traditions. There's jack-of-all-trades Kirk (Sean Gunn), louche dancing instructor Miss Patty, grumpy diner owner Luke, and the Troubadour (Grant-Lee Phillips) — a seemingly self-appointed town minstrel who refuses both tips and pleas to stop. But one thing unites all citizens of Stars Hollow: they care about their town. Town hall meetings are serious business (and great entertainment) in Stars Hollow, and people show up in full force to argue for how the city should be run. The town values its traditions, which can sometimes be a bad thing. Here's the worst thing about living in Stars Hollow on Gilmore Girls.

The worst thing about living in Gilmore Girls' Stars Hollow is also the best thing: all the weird traditions of the town. The past was, famously, less egalitarian than the present. As a result, some of the traditions of Stars Hollow could feel outdated at best and regressive at worst. The annual Stars Hollow Picnic Basket Auction is one such antiquated tradition. The womenfolk of the town create elaborate picnic baskets, which are bid on by the men. The women who make the baskets then have to dine with whoever happens to win the auction. This is how Jess and Rory wind up hanging out in season 2's "A-Tisket, A-Tasket." Jess outbids Dean on Rory's basket, and it spells doom for the Dean/Rory relationship. The basket tradition also almost breaks up Jackson and Sookie, and Luke winds up bidding on Lorelei's basket to save her from three louts vying for her picnic company.

The Stars Hollow Picnic Basket Auction is shown to still be alive and well in 2016, as shown in the "Spring" episode of Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life. Lorelei bids on Cassie's basket, in order to share it with Luke. A woman bidding rather than making a basket? Maybe there's hope for Stars Hollow yet.