Can we have a nice thread about British culture?

[Gobbeldegook]

Without goady fuckers spoiling all the niceness.
I vote seaside fish and chips.

After living abroad I appreciate the changing seasons so much. I love the lead up to Christmas, the amazing displays in shops and the lights everywhere, Beautiful old buildings, churches and castles. And cosy teashops.

The fact that when the British public are allowed to come up with a name for a boat, Boaty Mc Boatface is chosen...and when it's turned down we all went 'awwwww' like kids. Only for the 'grown ups' to allow a mini sub to be called Boaty Mc Boatface....and we all go ' hoooorayyyy'....

Opening the curtains to a snowy morning, having vaguely wondered why it's so light!

SkepticalCat I inspect food production facilities for a living. I once had a very confused conversation at a peanut factory in Aregentina- "the British keep so many pet birds". "Um, budgies, maybe parakeets, but cats and dogs are most popular", "but everybody must have a bird?", "?"
Turns out they sold their seconds as bird feed, but thought we were feeding them all to pet birds, by the tonne. Feeding wild birds was an alien concept!

Tour de Yorkshire
The Settle/Carlisle Railway
Impressive viaducts
Ironbridge

@mayonegg

I am in love with our gentle but varied countryside, the greenness, the woodlands and the trees, the fields, dry stone walls, hedgerows, the neatness and purpose of little towns and villages, our buildings, cottage gardens. Our coastline, our folk tales and folk music, traditional pubs (are there many left?) with their dark cosy wood and nicknacks amassed over the years. Roaring fires with the wind howling outside. Gentle humour, kindness, the willingness to see the best in people, the tendency towards politeness and courtesy, our willingness to help each other out, beautiful old bookshops, our rich language with all it's wonderful nuances. Our weather and climate, not too hot not too cold, our very defined seasons and everything about them, rainy days and dramatic skies. I love our tradition of Christianity and church hymns and tea and biscuits, but also the fact we're still very pagan at heart with our maypoles and halloween and other local customs that vary from place to place. I think if you strip away the politics (which I have no interest in for the sake of my own mental health) and the 'culture' of materialism and celebrity and selfishness and fakeness perpetuated by the media, I think we have the most wonderfully rich culture with our roots in the nature and spirituality of the island. I'm not sure if what I've written is culture or just snippets of things I love about the place, but I feel like that's what's in my soul. I think I am a little bit pagan though. Sorry this isn't as well written as posts usually are on MN, I'm not as articulate as most on here but felt compelled to post on this thread because I feel so weary of being made to feel ashamed of being British (English).

Your words are beautiful .

Perverts in the hedgerows!

Wimbledon, rock cakes, cream teas, period dramas, excellent actors/actresses, agas, airing cupboards, London Underground, lawns, gardens, oak trees, pubs, Sunday roasts with Yorkshire puds, trifles, sweet shops, Sunday papers, Pimms, high streets, fish & chips, tea, tea and more tea.

I am absolutely loving this thread. Thanks to everyone.

I love how we can teavel to all the countries that make us up. And we can learn so much.

I love this thread. I like the greenery of our landscape and the weather, strangely. I find a lot of other places too hot or cold.

Yes the green countryside - places with hot climates don't have green countryside. I was in California where it has almost 'perfect' warm sunny weather but noticed the hills go brown by May. Sprinklers are required for green lawns.

Our gardens - I was touristing in London and the public gardens I happened upon were brilliant. Our local town does pretty good display every summer.

All the little local traditions that go back centuries.

Here in my part of Scotland there's the Riding of the Marches every year, the Gala Days where the towns are decorated and people make tableaux in their gardens, the town's festival that includes electing an Honest Lad and Lass, who then do lots of activities with the other little towns in the area. The Silver Arrow competition.

Yes. We have well dressing, scarecrow trails, mayor's parades. We used to have marching band competitions, but the final venue was demolished. Living in Yorkshire brass bands are pretty popular.

Last year we had a witch trail for Halloween.

Youth culture!

Pop music, fashion, film.

Clubbing and festivals.

Ice cream vans and fish and chips vans that visit each street in our village.

@mayonegg, your post made me cry in a good way. That's why I immigrated here. Everything I could say has been listed already but I love that everywhere you go has a story. I love little local museums and how every town or village I have ever visited has one. This is a beautiful thread OP. Thanks.

Going to an ice cream parlour in the winter.
Loose leaf tea in a teapot kept warm with a tea cosy then poured into a cup and saucer

Anyone else writing a list of everything they are going to do after lockdown?

I love the fact that the Americans have a party to celebrate getting rid of us every year, but when they come here as tourists are concerned that the Scots might not like the Queen as she is not on their bank notes. Why should they?

Aw absolutely love this thread. Feeling all nostalgic now. Good positive thread. Thank you.

Can i just add my postman still in his shorts in the snow 😁😁😁

Tea, Scones and chip shop chips.

I think York and Yorkshire deserve a special mention. I was wowed by York when I had a break there. I loved the Yorkshire Dales too. Judging by the number of TV programmes with Yorkshire in the name it holds a special place in our heart.

Our sense of humour. Even in these shitty times .... no sooner has Boris started his press conferences, and there's a funny whatsapp doing the rounds.

Burns night! Had a great day celebrating yesterday.