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?

Plenty of places do the glove/hat thing. I see it in Norway aswell

New accent every five miles. Judging on accents even though anyone can change an accent. Judging for changing an accent.

Being really prepared for the weather and taking it in our stride. I have a colleague who just moved over from the US to London and mentioned to her that its a good idea to always carry both sunglasses and an umbrella in your bag. She burst out laughing, but I meant it seriously!

For the people saying Canadians are more polite… yes, maybe, except for in Quebec. It is just not a thing here to hold a door open for someone or to apologise for bumping into someone.

Reading this thread makes me look forward to going home to England!

Self-deprecation (at work) is a big one - non-uk colleagues become genuinely concerned about me if I put myself down (in a UK jokey way). It's very sweet.

Brits seem to do multi-carbing very inventively - pie barms, mashed potato sandwiches, deep fried pizza, macaroni cheese with chips and garlic bread, shepherd's pie and roasties, pie and chips, sandwiches and crisps, curry with rice, chips, naan and poppodoms.

Everything beige <3

Stuffing a tissue just in the sleeve of a long sleeved top. Gross but genius at the same time 😬

Must be awful being such a misery. You sound very insular and judgemental. I've lived and worked in many countries around the world and one thing I can say they all have in common is that no one likes a fun sponge.

Lmao! Must have hit a nerve!

I grew up in England but I’ve lived in many countries and I’m baffled by some of the replies on here suggesting it’s wrong to think there’s anything unique about the British. We might share certain traits or customs with other countries, but those things in combination with each other form a kind of collective character that is unique to us. I think there IS such a thing as “Britishness” even though it takes many forms and includes many cultures. I think it’s mostly in the sense of humour, which is very different to where I live now.

Hahahahahahahah @Cheezybiscuit , ' must have hit a nerve' no lovey we are laughing at you
We laugh at kill joys , we see humour in everything , but please feel free to carry on, it's marvellous entertainment

@ArrrrrghStopLickingTheDog Lovely! Brits are so wonderful and self deprecating and nobody elsewhere in the whole world is as quirky!
Thete you go. That’s what you wanted to hear isin’t it.
I can’t wait to tell my Canadian rellies that it’s only brits that can build a snowman 😂

You have missed the point, yet again @Cheezybiscuit , carry on...

Oh it’s only the British that aren’t allowed any sense of identity or shared culture quirks. Other countries are all allowed, especially the Irish. We British must only speak of ourselves negatively, and with reference to Colonialism or the Empire.

You poor poor things. How do you cope with being so oppressed😀

If you think that’s oppression then you clearly don’t know much about it…

This has all turned so bitchy. Shame as it was fun. MN is such a bore sometimes.

@Cheezybiscuit get rid of that chip , it's just a bit of fun
Your poor Canadian rellies'
Tsk , You are free to start your own thread you know , go on , I dare you

@Cuppasoupmonster Oh dear, did you miss the sarcasm? I thought brits were the on ones that got it!

I didn’t @Cheezybiscuit i just didn’t think it was very good 😉 we are the experts after all!

@Cuppasoupmonster i believe ya😀

Very interesting how certain posters are using the ‘we’. Wonder who the ‘we’ are!

Good lord. How infantile.

What a shame someone had to try to ruin what was a lovely, cheerful thread.

I know posters do this because they're unhappy and lonely, but it seems to be happening on more and more threads. They especially seem to be drawn to cheerful threads like this.

Although, thinking about Dementors, that's another thing that is very British - stories about boarding school, midnight feasts and games. Harry Potter is very British indeed.

@beastlyslumber Definitely. There are no boarding schools anywhere else in the world!
Tnis thread just keeps on giving. 😀 Goodnight all!

Anyone want a biscuit?