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?

wtf??
not sure how you came up with these but you are wrong on all levels

This thread is really funny! One of the unique things about the British is that they think they are unique in the world at all sorts of things when they’re not!

I don't think we're even unique in that 😆 I used to live in Germany and it was amazing how often people said things to me like, "one thing you'll learn about the Germans is that we like to have a hot drink in the morning" and "there is a German custom, when someone has invited you for dinner you take a little something- maybe some wine or a box of chocolates" and I'd be there thinking "doesn't everybody do that?"

One thing I do think is very British (although not uniquely so) about this thread is that almost no one has gone for anything big or particularly impressive- it's all queueing and saying sorry etc. All the French and Italian people I know would be all over an equivalent thread talking about style and culture and FOOD.

@MillyMollyManky Yes indeed! Just about sums it up😌

I liver fairly rurally and so lots of people have septic tanks. The local company who empties them has this written on all of their vans: filled with political promises. 🤣

@VitaminX I think people who believe all this stuff about uniquely British traits have lived a fairly small life, never travelled much, or lived anywhere other than the UK!

Ok sorry if I've caused offence that was not my intention. Just a generalisation of the things that my various non British friends have pointed out over the years as being different to their cultures.

@pecanpie24 eh, of course yeah. Nobody else understands sarcasm😂

@SleepingStandingUp thanks for your support. Some of the comments on here are so depressing. Apparently because I started this thread I live a tiny little life and have never been abroad. If only those posters complaining about the jingoism and arrogance of this post knew what I did for a living they would know that nothing could be further than the truth.

Are they British?

Although I certainly do 4. Our tap water is delicious

Yes I hate the fact that people are not straight talking here and if you are you are blocked from their life forever. It's very weird.

I agree with you OP - some miserable people on here - perhaps you should have put 'lighthearted' in your title

It’s not you op anything with British in title attracts some very miserable indeed

It was a nice thread

Oh come on now, where’s your British (unique sense of humour)?
Most of the observations on this thread on supposedly British traits are anything but, not even the queue thing!
So funny that people are so lacking in awareness outside of their own little bubble.
Building a snowman is soo British. What the fuck are some people on.😂

Speak for yourself!

OP was just trying to create a nice chat about things that are unique to the British Isles- what's the big fucking deal? No racism here, just a chat. FFS.

So far the things that stand out for me as uniquely British are:

The cheese rolling
Up Helly Ah
Morris Dancing
Quoting poetry at a Haggis on Burns' Night.
Opening a door to let the new year in on Hogmanay.
First footing.

There's LOADs of food ones, but I'll get told they're now other places that have these due to British customs now abroad. (But you can't tell me that square sausage, tottie scones, haggis and neeps on Burns' Night or steak pie at Hogmanay are anything other than Scottish, no matter where you see them. Scots, Welsh and Gaelic (Scots) language are also uniquely British- will I get shot down for these too?)

Oh I find the misery amusing alright it’s like clockwork.

I don’t think you know who has lived where but these threads always go same way. Although this time a dh would be ashamed which was a nice addition

I've lived in several countries. With the modern global community, traditions migrate. So things become less stuck to one country. I've attended Bonfire Night in another country for example... originally celebrated by the British community, and the local community joined in as it was fun. I explained St Nicolas night to my Cubs last week (leaving your shoes out for sweets on the 5th).

It amused me how several things on here have been claimed by Australians and Canadians too... very culturally similar countries due to migration!

I do think the queuing thing is bonkers... all countries have some sort of etiquette for these situations.

It reminds me of a thread last spring extolling the virtues of a lovely English countryside Spring day and was full of buuuttt Ireland is lovely in the spring! We have blossom and the sun too you know! How dare you suggest England is pretty in the spring! You must never leave England if you think England is pretty in the Spring! Lots of countries have countryside and trees! How dare you!! Etc etc etc
p.s I do think nothing beats a lovely day in the English countryside in the Spring! 😁

@shinynewapple22 I didn't think I needed to. I've had such a shit couple of weeks and went for a walk to clear my head. That's when I noticed the glove ( something that happens everywhere. Fine.) Then I started wondering about other things. So many of the comments have really tickled me.. like the skipping across the zebra crossing with an embarrassed little wave. Not that I'm saying that's UNIQUELY BRITISH . It's just a cute thing that people do. Maybe that's what I should have put as the thread title... cute things that PEOPLE do. It's the BBC ident that made me wonder about British 'things.' Anyway.

the thank you wave while driving is practically a legal requirement where I live in the US. It’s one of the things I have been pointing out to my dd as she will be starting driving lessons soon. “See, that person waved to us in that situation”. Or “I had to wave there because that person left space for me to turn in, even though they are legally required not to block the intersection, it’s just good manners.”

Nah! You ever been amongst the spring heather on a Scottish mountain? Far better 😉

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

Dear God - I've made TWO posts pointing out that the things others are "enjoying" telling us are uniquely British also happen in many parts of the world - along with several other posters who I see you aren't having a go at! I mean, beans/mince/etc on toast, making snowmen, queueing, separate hot and cold water taps, drinking tap water - seriously!!!! Apart from one or two things I have seen nothing that isn't the same as in many other countries.

Putting a 'x' on the end of text messages

Wassailing

Penny for the guy