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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to wonder what American-isms people actually like?

196 replies

DragonWithAGirlTattoo · 02/07/2015 18:21

just been watching the forum, and noticed that a lot of people dont like 'prom' (even though i think its just a leavers disco with a different name)

or baby showers (totally agree here!)
or halloween ( Hmm )

what about gifts for teachers? is that an american import? i'm pretty sure when i was in school in the 70/80s we didnt do that....

OP posts:
SunnyBaudelaire · 03/07/2015 10:32

we did have Taco Bells for a while but it was not a success.....
I remember a big one in Leicester Square..

MrsLemonLyman · 03/07/2015 10:33

As an American expat in the UK, I just wanted to say that it's great to see a nice thread about America/Americans for once. Some of our customs don't work well outside of the American context, but the normal bashing gets really old.

SunnyBaudelaire · 03/07/2015 10:38

glad to hear that MrsLemon....

'How I met your mother' and 'The Big Bang Theory' are v entertaining..

maybebabybee · 03/07/2015 10:38

MrsLemon don't worry about it. I love Americans! As a curmudgeonly brit their relentless cheeriness in the office is occasionally somewhat difficult to deal with, but I think it has made me a more positive person.

tootiredtoknow · 03/07/2015 10:39

Peanut Butter M&Ms. Mars can't sell them in the UK because of food regulations Confused

I hate the word 'disco'. It reminds me of panda pop, 80s perms and Bananarama. Prom is a much nicer word.

I went to school (university) in the US. Its very easy to slip into a pattern of using certain words.

SoupDragon · 03/07/2015 10:42

I'm sure there are plenty of "britishisms" I hate, despite being British.

I'm sure there are plenty of "britishisms" that are probably imported from other countries. Is it OK to like these or do we have to hate them too?

maybebabybee · 03/07/2015 10:42

Just seen people don't like halloween.

I fucking love Halloween!!

tootiredtoknow · 03/07/2015 10:43

There are 3 Taco Hells Bells where I used to live in Essex. I've seen them in Yorkshire too. As usual however, the cheap prices have not made their way over the pond.

DrDre · 03/07/2015 10:45

I like their technology. I know their big companies are much maligned, but the stuff they produce is just amazing! I've worked a lot with Microsoft and Google technology, and I think they are very good, some very clever people work for them. I don't think any other country has got IT companies that can compete with the American ones. I've never been to the states, but I think it must be a combination of a culture of innovation, wealth and the rule of law that has given rise to this.

SoupDragon · 03/07/2015 10:47

Peanut Butter M&Ms. Mars can't sell them in the UK because of food regulations

apart from in, amongst others, Tescos, which clearly ignores the Uk food regulations.

ChunkyPickle · 03/07/2015 10:55

God, I would kill for frozen juice concentrate in this weather, and fudgcicles.

I think generally American sweets suck, but the frozen lollies/juice are awesome

I'm strangely attracted to the fact that every egg I ever bought while living there was pure white. They tasted the same though.

SoupDragon · 03/07/2015 10:57

strangely attracted to the fact that every egg I ever bought while living there was pure white. They tasted the same though.

Eggs were white in the UK I when I was small. From memory, I think you used to be able to choose between brown and white eggs in the shop in the same way you choose bread.

TelephoneIgnoringMachine · 03/07/2015 10:59

I don't like:

High Fructose Corn Syrup added to everything.
Fast food.
Attitude of the "undeserving poor".
Garish grabby commercialisation of what were once religious (or secular) holidays.
Litigious culture. Although I suppose if the NHS does finally collapse, that will happen a lot more here, too.
The price of fresh food, & food in their regular shops. No wonder so many people on lower income are overweight. Who could afford to cook?
Guns unless you live somewhere there are animals that might try to eat you.

But I do think that they are right on the money, or very lucky with these:

Great customer service.
Attitude of wanting to better yourself & make your own way in life.
I like their big houses - I suppose in the majority of the USA, land is fairly cheap. (Although not all.)
I really love some of their TV shows. If we had Sky (or any fancy channels). I'd probably never get off the sofa!
Music - actually having different charts for different types of music.
I love the country - the scenery - I could spend hours on the web, looking at the beautiful places, planning where I'd visit.

BarbarianMum · 03/07/2015 11:05

Something else I like: social mobility. Much more of it there than here (UK) and it's approved of, not sneered at.

ChunkyPickle · 03/07/2015 11:07

I suppose it depends on the chickens - we must have a different commercial variety here - I think I've had white eggs from my sister who keeps chickens before.

SoupDragon · 03/07/2015 11:08

I think egg colour is to do with what "grit" they eat. There was a lot of debate about it when Delia used pure white eggs for her "how to cook" books a while back.

Cliffdiver · 03/07/2015 11:09

Peanut butter flavoured confectionery.

Specifically, Reece's Cupcakes.

ChunkyPickle · 03/07/2015 11:10

I'm going to have to google now. I wonder if you can get different colours by picking special grit then :)

ChunkyPickle · 03/07/2015 11:12

well that's wierd. The internet says:

White-feathered chickens with white ear lobes lay white eggs and red-feathered ones with red ear lobes lay brown eggs (this may not apply to all breeds)

So it's about earlobes! I didn't even know chickens had earlobes! Is this all some big internet joke that I've fallen for?

Mrsjayy · 03/07/2015 11:13

Brown eggs are commercial arnt they its types of hens they use I havnt seen a white egg in years

Tuskerfull · 03/07/2015 11:25

I actually find it really sad that so many people are saying that they like the customer service in the US. Especially for food staff

I was talking about call centre staff, I would absolutely hate American-style service in restaurants. I like to be left alone to eat my meal.

Misslgl88 · 03/07/2015 11:26

Like:

Their fridge freezers
Tv shows (empire, glee, bbt, american horror story)
The fast food

I wish they would bring more of their food here I can't watch man vs food without salivating!

helenahandbag · 03/07/2015 11:28

hackmum

I came on here just to say that I like "you're welcome"!

The first time I visited the US I was struck by the way everyone says "you're welcome" when you thank them. Nobody really does it over here - even I just say "no worries" when someone thanks me.

ephemeralfairy · 03/07/2015 11:28

Blues
Motown
Old-school rap and hip-hoop
Breakdancing
Manners
Serving staff getting tipped properly
Soul food
Seinfeld

DollyMcDolly · 03/07/2015 11:31

Love Pepsi (max), hate Coke. Love the quality of the TV shows but hate how they get cancelled so easily.