Uniquely British things

[ChristmasA123]

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?

Sarcasm! Only the British understand sarcasm. It's bloody great!

I mean, how can anyone genuinely question if kids building snowmen is a uniquely British activity? Its mind boggling.

Well I guess I've also seen it in American Christmas movies. But I've never lived anywhere where people (adults) would go out in the snow and make all kinds of sculptures from snowmen to mice to teapots and everything in between. I admit I've never lived anywhere else that has the same kind of winters as we do. I lived in Japan for a while and in Hokkaido they make these incredible snow and ice sculptures - but they're proper works of art, not the amateur creations we do here.

I don't know why people have to try and ruin a perfectly nice thread. If you don't like anything about being British, then you don't have to contribute.

That's actually true in my experience. I've never lived anywhere where people got sarcasm, apart from the UK. We are finely attuned to it here!

Saying one thing and it could mean something else entirely.
So saying 'could do' to a suggestion, might mean yes, but could equally mean, when hell freezes over!
Ending an email with 'Regards', might mean regards but is equally likely to mean, 'I hope you burn in Hell'.

😂

Christingle bringing feelings of envy and shame throughout the lands

Not a British thing, in Spain, complete strangers leaving the lift will say hasta luego (goodbye) to you.

I've always found that lovely.

1.Making chicken stock out of an already roasted and eaten chicken, using the leftover bones people chewed the meat off of. Weird. I don’t know if people in other countries do this or is it just Brits? Where I am from, we would give the bones to the dog or chuck them in the bin. Chicken stock only with fresh chicken.
2.Tiny breakfast, sandwich or something mundane for lunch, then a massive cooked dinner with wine and dessert. The biggest meal for the day for me would be lunch and something light for dinner, but here it’s the other way around.

Gloves on the side, understanding sarcasm, a tip of the hand, apologising when someone walks into them, queueing, stopping at zebra crossings (in fact I think there is a legal obligation to), opening the door and waiting etc all perfectly common in NZ but I imagine more so amongst those with British ancestry (maybe less so in new immigrant groups - especially the understanding sarcasm).

@VitaminX I find a lot of threads on mn weird. When that happens I just don't engage with them and scroll by..

This is a very British comment 😁

Yes. Clearly OP said everyone in the UK are awesome and the rest of the world are poppy butt's 🙄

I like our red postboxes and phone boxes. Loads still in london but not sure if they still get used much, mostly tourists taking photos.
I also love London plane trees

@onlythreenow are you always such a joy on perfectly innocent posts that most people seem to be enjoying?

Not so. The Swedes are better at this. Brits are pretty good, though!

www.scan-film-store.co.uk/blog/2018/07/very-british-problems-we-completely-identify-with

1. A separate hot and cold water tap.
2. Not rinsing the soapy water off plates when washing up.
3. Keeping shoes on in the house.
4. Drinking tap water.

I don't know anyone who would use bones that people have sucked the meat from, to make stock. But I would use a pre roasted chicken that still had some meat on.

We also do that awkward thing if greeting people, where we aren't sure whether to shake hands or hug or do that European kissing on the cheek thing - I think Brits like their personal space and the desire to impose it wars with our equal desire not to be blatantly rude only subtly rude

Some people in this thread are spectacularly missing the point. Lol

They definitely don’t get the British thing. Shame…

…on this thread…

Saying 'some people' when we all know who is meant

I think the Queen's laying in state took queuing to a whole new level. I think it was 13 hours at one point.

I have some mixer taps, some separate. I rinse my plates if not using the dish washer and take my shoes off in the house. I drink tap water because it is perfectly OK to do so in the UK.
I don't think your post is a description of Britishness.

I don't make stock from chewed bones either. We don't give chicken bones to dogs here. Vets advise against it.

Has everyone forgotten?! The British (or more specifically the English) aren't allowed an identity!

it's mumsnet thing rather than a british thing!