Oh, how very English.

Today, I found myself saying my usual 'oh, you're so English' to two of my family members (husband and daughter).  And in fairness, they were actions that aren't bad things, just things that strike me as a bit over the top-reading the actual instructions on the box of Ibuprofen and wanting to follow them to the letter(husband), and wanting to run straight to Woolworths and buy flip-flops and a sun-hat because there's a bit of sun.  (daughter)   So what other things do your families do that strike you as particularly English(or Scottish, Welsh, or Irish if that is the case. )?

I do think this is charming and typically Scottish or Northumbrian--making every noun end in -ies.  Pictures are piccies, kids are kiddies, tickets are ticcies, etc.  Oh, and the plural of cuppa is cuppies.  I love it, but it reminds me that I really don't understand English!

   mmmmmmm cuppies? thats a new one on me.

Maybe a cross-cultural corruption?  My Scots niece said, "Y'all want cuppies?"  Sis and I were gasping from laughing so hard that Jenny said y'all.  I know the Geordie side of the family is way too canny to corrupt the Queen's English.  ; )

Mindy your post made me laugh...my husband does that whole "but the ibuprophen bottle says I can only have one!" thing all the time.  Nevermind that I've had actual doctors tell me while in the hospital to take 4 every 4-6 hours for pain before.  I'm pretty sure they won't kill ya that easily.    Of course he does it in a cute, concerned kind of way so it's alright. 

Throwing stuff out either right on the sell-by date or sometimes questioning it if it's anywhere near the sell by date is uniquely British, definitely. 

Also never saving or eating leftovers....including taking stuff home from the restraunts.  I never thought I'd say it but I do miss my mom's leftover nights sometimes.  She's take everything out of the fridge that we'd eaten the week before, heat it all up and lay it all out buffet style.  So it was like having a little bit of five or six meals at the same time.  A little speghetti with your porkchop?  Mmmm mmmm! 

I agree with the leftovers wishstar! My honey thinks I am so "economical" for incorporating leftovers into other meals...

Funny, but we never need a doggy bag when we eat out...he always cleans my plate too! Are there such things as doggy bags in the UK? I remember the first time I ate out over there with his American boss, and he told me about not taking leftovers home from the restaurant etc...but like I said, that issue has never come up yet anyway!

I just love all the britishisms though...

Geally

My son, who lived in shorts in the US, refuses to wear them anywhere but in the house.  Says none of his friends wear shorts, so he won't.

Oddly enough, my husband -- when I first met him -- also wouldn't wear shorts.  Said his legs hadn't seen the light of day since he had to wear short pants for school.  I suppose I am a bad influence because he wears them now in the summer.

apologizing for everything... i think its cute 

Glad to see that there is someone else in the UK that won't eat leftovers. My English hubby REFUSES to eat leftovers. Which, incidently is okay with me...there just more for me later, bwahahahaha!!

And what's up with this cuppa tea all the time?? My better half can be in the middle of a battle (of sorts) and stops because he needs his cuppa tea. I told him that's why the British lost the Revolution, bwahahahaha!! 

 Are there such things as doggy bags in the UK? I remember the first time I ate out over there with his American boss, and he told me about not taking leftovers home from the restaurant etc...but like I said, that issue has never come up yet anyway!

We dont ask for a 'doggy bag', but if we have a decent amount of food left over we will almost always ask if we can have a container to take it home in... they bring either a polystyrene container, or a foil one with cardboard lid.    My Scots DH would never DARE let any food go to waste that he paid for! 

My husband is so afraid of sell-by dates, that he won't eat food if it has a sell by date of the next day!

I was just telling my husband how 'British' our dog was the other day when we went on our usual walk and he was panting like crazy (I suspect) from the warm weather.

Just a side note, I think I may have married into the only British family on earth where several of its members don't take any hot drinks a all.  No tea, no coffee, not even hot chocolate!!!

 

And what's up with this cuppa tea all the time?? My better half can be in the middle of a battle (of sorts) and stops because he needs his cuppa tea. I told him that's why the British lost the Revolution, bwahahahaha!! 

   You have one of those too? LOL.My G is the same way

Every single conversation we've had over the past 1.5 years....he's always mentioned the weather.

Enough already!  i get the hint, i need an umbrella when i move!

Oh yeah! The english are so fascinated with the weather. I've caught myself having those incredibly boring conversations with other people about the weather. 'Oh, rain again... geez'. 'Hey, how about that sun this weekend. Great eh!'. And it's the first thing people talk about when they hear I'm from Arizona.... 'you came from sun to this.

 

Just last week when it was really nice and sunny, I ran home from work, got some comfy clothes on and attacked Jon when he walked in and forced him to go for a walk in the park. Poor guy hadn't even put down his bags.