To ask overseas folk what British quirks they think are weird/funny?

[Burntmybiscuits]

Us Brits are always on our high horse, making light humour over the habits of other countries (particularly the U.S!), so I thought it would be funny to see what people overseas find 'unique' about us!

YY to not rinsing the washing up! Totally grim

Who the hell doesn’t rinse their dishes? Do you mean people just leave them to dry with all the suds on? That’s grim.

My Dh and his family (American) find out use of cutlery fascinating. My mil particularly says it’s like watching performance every time I use a knife and fork. They cut it all up into little squares and then just shovel it in which I find weird. They think I’m weird because they don’t think it’s possible to enjoy a meal while holding your knife and fork at the same time.

Oh and when people say "7 for 7:30". What time do you actually want me there?

@riotlady I actually love British ads! (I am not american thought) I often send links to my family so they can have a giggle too

I heard that Americans find Brits having a washing up bowl weird?! And also, having the washing machine in the kitchen is weird? The trouble is, our houses are often so small, we don't have a utility room! Anyone US peeps care to confirm this?

I was once in Poland eating out with colleagues and said quietly to one of the Poles that I was going to quietly slip away because I was tired. He pissed himself laughing and announced this to the table. Apparently I was a living example of their stereotype. They have a phrase for slipping away without saying goodbye that basically translates as 'make like a Brit'

I was amazed that we're known for this as a nation but was hardly in a position to argue 😂

Talking about ads.
Christmas ad thing. There are ads for the ads coming. Countdown in newspaper etc. Scoring of Christmas ads. It's just...
Amazing!

The birthday cake thing makes sense as we used to have things like jelly/ice cream or trifle or choc bics so we didn,t want to eat Bcake as well. And it,s a nice thing to take home. Also most people I know do rinse when washing up don,t think that's a brit thing.

I find English weddings strange. This thing of inviting different sets of people to different parts and having the whole thing last for hours and hours and hours. Plus including wedding list details with the invites! Yikes!

How do you find Asian weddings? They tend to last 3 days

@forkfun bacon sandwiches are the food of the gods. And the only cure for vegetarianism.

• bucks fizz at Christmas with breakfast! I'd never seen alcohol served before noon before.

This is a great thread! As for the Spanish finding our sandwiches odd, I remember seeing an anchovy and stilton sandwich on offer in Spain! My friend really enjoyed it and still eats them now but I can't get over the thought of it

Oh and yes to the accents. When staying with my PIL once we went to a party and there was an English couple there. Before we’d even spoken the husband had worked out where in the country I was from due to overhearing me saying a particular phrase. My pil thought it was amazing and hilarious.

British cakes - so much sponge! It's like bread with some jam or icing. So boring and dry.

Having to pay for your own food and/or drinks at weddings and parties.

Grown-ups using X at the end of messages or letters. Reminds me of Gossip Girl.

Sending cards with prewritten messages and just adding 'Dear so and so' and 'lots of love' at the end - kind of undoes the whole point of sending a card if you can't even be bothered to write a personal message.

Adults and children not eating together at dinner time and, even weirder, children getting different food to the adults.

@riotlady Who gives you extra???

The nit finding dishes thing is NOt 'A British thing' it's just a grotty thing 🤮

I'd love to have Afternoon Tea every day ☕️🍰 but I'd be the size of a block of flats!!

Cards! Cards for everything: birthday, mariage divorce death leaving job new job engagement new house....
Never seen people so enthused about cards.

I never knew British people didn’t eat the cake during the party! You learn something new everyday.

One thing that’s always struck me as massively different between Ireland (where I live) and the UK is funerals and funeral etiquette. In Ireland you are very much expected to attend the funeral of anyone you vaguely know, or any family member of your friends’. As in, you attend the funeral of your friend’s father no question. Even if you didn’t really know him well. I believe in the UK it’s not like that and you only attend the funerals of your nearest and dearest.

The birthday cake one only happens at parties outside of the home though doesn’t it?
If we have a family party. Everyone eats the cake there and then and then maybe wrap up some more for people to take home if it was a big cake.

At parties they have normally put on dessert as part of the package so no need for cake. Half the cake gets put into party bags. Fills the party bags up too. Half gets taken back home to eat with family,

1st time meeting my British (now) in-laws we went for a pub lunch. FIL ordered Steak and Owl pie. I exclaimed, gosh, I didn't know you ate them, are they wild or farmed?

Took a while to work out it was a Steak and ALE pie, not steak and OWL.

If you've ever gone around your house or a party venue retrieving soggy bits of icing and cake wrapped in napkins, the "giving kids their cake to take home" tradition starts to make perfect sense.

On another note: cake! I need cake!

Yes to the obsession with cards! And mandatory thank you cards!

Oh god yes, paying for your own drinks when you have been invited to a wedding or a party! Also people can be very economical with food at parties. On several occasions we had to stop for a kebab on the way home because there was so little food at the party.

I'm half English but culturally very much an Aussie, DP also half English but very much a Pom.

The thing that stands out the most is how apologetic he is. He's sorry for absolutely everything, and so effusive about it... 'oh I DO apologise...'

The way he says yoghurt and cinema does my head in. Otherwise, he's lovely

Watching property shows, yes the washing machine in the kitchen feels very odd to me. In small homes here you'd have your washing machine in the bathroom or in a cupboard in the hall if you couldn't fit in a separate laundry room. I also can't fathom a kitchen stove that's on all year round, and don't understand the British aversion towards single storey homes.