Things you didn't know weren't normal

[Applescruffle]

What are things you thought every one or every family did until you became an adult or entered a new relationship?

I'll start. I thought that everyone ate the leftover yorkshires after a roast dinner as desert eg: fill them with cream and fruit or custard or something, basically use them like you would a pancake... no?

I thought everyone peeled mushrooms, I didn't know that not only do people not peel mushrooms, lots don't even know they have peel!! 😱

I'll probably think of more.

Nb: I'm not meaning to trigger anyone's childhood or relationship trauma, I just mean lighthearted things x

So many on here are food related!

I thought that a deep fat fryer was a component for every meal- we had chips every day!
i thought that vegetables (except salad) all came from the frozen section of the supermarket. I worked in a supermarket as a student and couldn't identify vegetables in their fresh form for putting them through the till- so embarrassing!
when I was a teen we started having Chinese takeaways on birthdays. I thought everyone bought the main courses from the takeaway and then did chips/ rice/ spring rolls at home.
I thought you could only buy pop from the milkman.

Not food related:
I thought Dad’s never had a bath at home as they always showered at work (men I knew did dirty jobs so you would shower before coming home- as you worked 6 days a week men often didn't bathe at home)
I didn't learn to ride a bike. Never any encouragement and so it never happened (I didn't have a bike) it's only after I had children I realised how few people never had the opportunity to learn to ride a bike.

Can really relate to the not being told you are loved. I have found since becoming a parent so many things in my childhood which were dysfunctional and I didn't realise at the time, or even as an adult. It's only since having my own children.

Bolognese 🙄

Someone mentioned birthday bunnies up thread - I am going to have to name change after this as it’s outing but we had the birthday fairy (same concept as the tooth fairy, basically Father Christmas but a fairy version for birthdays). Nobody else has ever heard of it. DH thinks we are mad.

Anyone else?!

I sometimes peel mushrooms but have never in my life heard of anybody eating Yorkshire’s with sweet stuff in them!

For years my brother thought we say 'Mary Christmas' (not 'Merry Christmas') because well, Mary was the mother of Jesus.

You look lovely and completely normal @Tinker766 but you need to start your own thread. x

We have a clean towel everytime,
I grew up in a towel sharing family with no system gave me the ick

I honestly thought everyone saw lots of tiny ‘pixels’ if they look closely, especially in the dark. Apparently not and it’s visual snow. If you don’t see it please tell me because I still don’t quite believe my family.

I thought everyone peeled mushrooms, I didn't know that not only do people not peel mushrooms, lots don't even know they have peel!!

did not know this!

Mine is on the left of the rail, He’s on the right and kid’s on the hook on the door. We have varying colours too but they don’t “belong” to anyone. We get a clean one out and that’s ours until it’s washed regardless of colour.

Reminds me of a friend (many years ago) who had recently got married and moved in with her husband. When I asked how it was all going she said in a horrified whisper, 'I did NOT know that all men dry their balls on the hand towels'.

Apparently he did this and told her 'all men' did it too.

No, no they do not.

@Tinker766
You need to start a new thread.

Fairy bread!

My nana said the same thing too!!!

@Violinist64 wait.. not everyone hears lovely music in their head all the time? Really? I can’t play an instrument or read music, don’t know about pitch, but I hear the most wonderful music in my head anytime I want. It’s always there. Not always loud but I can just listen or not any time. Surely everyone can?
I suppose it explains the need for earphones and constant streamed music if they can’t- but surely it’s not odd?

Genuinely shocked at the amount of absolute heathens on here who are mixing butter and peanut butter.

Having butter and peanut butter on toast

the only way

That's nothing. DH was one of 4 brothers and they lived in a house with their parents and nan. When we were together the youngest brother still lived at home and I think maybe another one did for a while too. We moved away for work so had to stay at the inlaws house sometimes on visits home. I remember being shocked at there being no "hand towel and bath towel" left on our bed for us like my mum did with overnight guests. After a night out in town we stumbled back at 2am and I went to get ready for bed in the bathroom, having to use the one hand towel that was there in the bathroom to dry my face and hands. I'll never forget the stench of tahini sauce from that soggy damp towel that his brother had left earlier. 😂

Next morning I dried my face and hands on my nightie and passed on the idea of a shower as I had no idea what kind of shared towel I'd have to use. And always took my own towel after that. It still baffles me that 5 members of the same household would use the one hand towel, and guests were expected to as well. Yeuch! And double yeuch, I soon realised that MIL didn't change the beds automatically between guests. Guess she thought that was normal.

This will give away where I grew up to other locals but I didn't realise until I was about twenty that the phrase "I'm on the drag" to mean "I'm running late" isn't a commonly used phrase anywhere except in my home town, where literally everyone uses it all the time.

Not until I had a very confused/concerned phone call from a university friend after I'd texted them to let them know I'd be a few minutes late.

People don't share towels? People actually have an individual towel for themself? Wow!

I've not head the whole thread so someone may have mentioned it.

On here is seems abnormal to have gravy on our pancakes instead of syrup or chocolate spread.

I always have peanut butter and butter. It's too claggy otherwise (especially on gluten free bread!)

I've had a look and they are not quite right. These were more American pancake size, or perhaps griddle cake, where the Staffordshire oatcakes look flatter and thinner. They also didn't have flour in them. Might have to try the Staffordshire one though - they sound tasty!

Culture shock as a non native Brit

Crisps in individual packages and daily in lunch boxes. (Mine didn't get that)

Dessert every day (29 years w very British dh and he still can't not have something after dinner.. I dont get it) dessert as I was growing up was for special occasions like Saturday dinner at grandma's

The thing you all call a "Danish" yuckyuck nothing like Wienerbrød (directly translated Vienna Bread) when Pret first opened they used to have proper Wienerbrød but sadly not ao good anymore.

And reverse culture shock going with dh to Denmark last year and finding nowhere we could go to eat breakfast before 9 or 10 am.... (I like my leisurely breakfast) on the Sunday we had to go to the Baker drive through to get breakfast!! (Having said that I wish we had bakery drive through here and rund stykker)

But it's not! I've tried it without butter and it's dry and awful! 🙈