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Original poster

Uniquely British things

371 replies

ChristmasA123 · 05/12/2022 19:09

I went for a walk earlier and saw one of my favourite things.. a random glove stuck on a railing. Obviously someone had dropped it and a kind stranger has put it somewhere easy to spot. I often see dropped items popped on fences/gateposts like this and it got me wondering.. I wonder if they do that in other countries? I've also noticed how polite drivers are here.. mainly! With that little wave or thumbs up when someone lets you through. I've never seen that driving in the US or Europe. Oh and I love the BBC Christmas ident. It's always so cosy. Are there any other cute/ wholesome things that only generally happen in the UK?

OP posts:
Solidarityisbetterthanchsrity · 06/12/2022 00:15

Jingoism?

Sagealicious · 06/12/2022 00:16

PuttingDownRoots · 05/12/2022 19:13

British people may be the only people who apologise to a person who walks into them....

Nope very common here in Oz too.

Ohdofuckofdear · 06/12/2022 00:20

What a lovely idea for a thread OP 🙂

Laughing at ourselves if we fall over/slip(not if your hurt obviously) me and my friends are all hopeless if it happens to one of us you'll be checking the friends ok and trying to help them out whilst they're having a fit of the giggles and we're trying not to pee ourselves laughing.

blueshoes · 06/12/2022 00:24

So many different flavours of crisps. Just heaven.

Early bedtimes for children, like 7 pm.

Never leaving the house without at least one wet weather protection.

The weird bucket in the kitchen basin where dishes go to soak and then just left to rinse out in the drying rack. Air BnBs that cater to the British have this bucket. And teabags.

I still haven't figured out where the replacement bus is, when the tube fails (London).

Summer fruits. Argh, they are sour.

A night out does not involve food, only drink.

Sagealicious · 06/12/2022 00:27

kittenkipping · 05/12/2022 23:22

I have more! The word cunt. It's both an insult and an endearment. I don't think there's anywhere else that the most controversial of swears has such a contrary meaning. I'd only say it when referring to either my worst enemy OR my best friend. And no one in between . That CUNT vs my CUNT!

And I agree with the term "quite" . Elsewhere it usually means very, here it can mean either very OR the opposite "it's quite nice" said in one intonation can mean- avoid it. It's not deadly but it's no one's first choice. But with another intonation can mean shock at its niceness! It's actually great! "Quite nice!" (Usually said with a vociferous side nod!) I love that.

Very common here too. We're known for it.

Giggorata · 06/12/2022 00:38

The humour about very serious things is a thing.
In Afghanistan, when troops were trying to find Bin Laden, the Americans referred to the Tota Bora Caves as thuh Caves of DOOM, whereas the Brits called them Tora Bora Tompkinson.

Puffalicious · 06/12/2022 00:45

Joelyn · 05/12/2022 23:39

What? That's the most ridiculous thing I've heard about Australia. Have you forgotten how many people in Oz have British heritage? Of course we eat food like that on toast. I don't understand how you could experience that for a year. Were you living with people who hated carbs or something?

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I was in Melbourne- St. Kilda- so pretty hipster and very international at the time (1998). Jewish 24 hour bakery- tick; Lebanese cafe open until 3am -tick; cheese on toast with HP sauce amd a mug of tea-nah!

BF (Aussie, we met in Scotland) family pretty wealthy and no UK connection, so Avocado/ tomato/ vegemite on toast, yes; beans/ spaghetti hoops/ mince/ Macaroni no chance. I also worked in a school where there were 50 languages other than English as a first language, so no traditional food there/ around there either.

Don't get me wrong, I loved the food, they just laughed when I fancied beans on toast/ Heniz tomato soup 😅

askmenow · 06/12/2022 01:02

MillyMollyManky · 05/12/2022 19:47

I have lots of international colleagues and many of them have said exactly this to me- that all nationalities enjoy a joke but only the Brits have the urge to make a joke in situations which are not remotely funny.

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Love the Brits use of understatement, irony, self deprecation and parody. Our conversation is a constant source of underlying humour for those that get it.

azimuth299 · 06/12/2022 01:18

Ooh another one I'd forgotten about - children maypole dancing!

Cordeliathecat · 06/12/2022 01:39

I like the Spanish system of queuing. I was in a nightclub toilet in Spain once and when I walked in a girl turned to me and said “you’re after me, tell the next girl that walks in, she’s after you”. Then everyone was going about their business, chatting, putting make-up on etc. no need to form a line, we all knew where we were in the order of things. Inspired.

Sagealicious · 06/12/2022 01:47

I'm saying this as an outsider as I'm not British so please correct me if I'm wrong but pomp and ceremony seem very British to me I. E. The Jubilee and the Queen's funeral. Watching at home from Australia I kept thinking no way in the world would we be like this in Australia...except on ANZAC day but no where to the level the Brits are, not even close.

As for the pp above who said beans, cheese, etc on toast aren't seen much in OZ no probably not from some ethnic groups I. E. Lebanese, Greek etc but way more common with those with British/Irish ancestry. I could be wrong but I think here that type of food is more common with working class Aussie's as it would be with the more wealthy. It was something I grew up with and still eat to this day. Cheap, easy and convenient. Can't go wrong.

BTW love St Kilda. That cake shop...drool.

Original poster
ChristmasA123 · 06/12/2022 06:38

@Cordeliathecat I wish I'd had that in my club going days!

OP posts:
ramblingmum · 06/12/2022 07:09

Rights of way and ordinance survey maps. So many options for walks and all marked with such detail on the maps

LlynTegid · 06/12/2022 07:17

That each of us wherever we live in this island have two flags.

IHeartGeneHunt · 06/12/2022 07:22

Last week I backed into a pillar in the chemist and apologised to it.

AlecTrevelyan006 · 06/12/2022 07:24

Cuppasoupmonster · 05/12/2022 23:06

Don’t forget the weird smile you have to do when they thank you for holding it - lips pressed together, just widen the corners slightly.

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So true

CaptainMyCaptain · 06/12/2022 07:28

In Reykjavic I saw a railing full of lost gloves with a sign saying lonely heart gloves. I've got a photo somewhere.

I lost a glove walking my dog in woodland and found it 3 weeks later stuck on a tree branch.

onlythreenow · 06/12/2022 07:51

I don't live in the UK, but most of the things mentioned also happen here, so I really don't understand why you all seem to think they are unique to the UK.

beastlyslumber · 06/12/2022 07:59

This is such a lovely thread. I agree with pp about the British sense of humour - even in very small talk, we are always joking. It's nice.

MWNA · 06/12/2022 08:15

sussexman · 05/12/2022 21:38

My daughter who is in Europe for a year just tried to explain Christingles to a Finnish friend. Complete incomprehension.

What on earth is a christingle?
Sounds vaguely rude.

Off to Google.

CaptainMyCaptain · 06/12/2022 08:20

Lost gloves in Reykjavic.

Uniquely British things
theDudesmummy · 06/12/2022 08:23

If you think the British are polite try living in Canada. I once saw a road rage incident there. One guy accidently stole another guy's parking space (didn't realise the other guy was waiting). The wronged guy tutted a little as he got out of his car. The other guy got back in, moved his car and softly said "chill buddy, eh". Then they went their separate ways.

BirmaBrite · 06/12/2022 08:25

Christmas crackers.

WimpoleHat · 06/12/2022 08:27

showing your affection to the people you care most about by mocking them relentlessly, while being scrupulously polite to people you dislike/don't know well.

Yes! This is the ultimate British trait, I think.