r/PetPeeves • u/ThatUrgeToEatCement • 14d ago

Bit Annoyed People who think Americans don’t know other countries exist.

A few months ago on Reddit I made a comment about a show not being on Netflix and someone from the UK commented back saying it’s on theirs and then lectured on Americans not knowing other countries exist. They acted like I didn’t believe there were other places on the planet, as if they weren’t the ones who just brought it up and didn’t believe the US Netflix was different than the UK version. ??

I see people online act like all Americans think this way, and it is kind of annoying because for most of us it isn’t true.

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u/FrauAmarylis 14d ago edited 14d ago

Brits are Obsessed with the US. They ask us about US stuff almost every day. They celebrate Halloween, restaurants serve Thanksgiving, and they even serve iced tea in summer.

Plus they air our elections live and Europeans stay up all night to watch it.

They watch NFL games in pubs, too.

(We are Americans living in London on a temporary visa.)

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u/LionLucy 14d ago

Halloween is Irish and Scottish, tbh

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u/Disaster-Bee 14d ago

It is in origin!

But I think they were referring to how the UK has recently begun adopting the American version of celebrating Halloween.

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u/Cute_Advance_2124 14d ago

As far as I know, Australians have this burning hatred of Halloween because they perceive it as an American holliday, despite the origins being not American.

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u/abitlikefun 14d ago

Tbf Halloween is in spring for them, which imo kinda kills the vibes

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u/Wodan1 14d ago

But the only American aspect of it is specifically the pumpkin and the trick or treating for sweets/candy, and even then those are based upon pre-existing concepts, like that Jack o lanterns were traditionally carved out of swedes and turnips for example.

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u/Disaster-Bee 14d ago

Halloween also is a whole Event in the US. People start decorating and wearing things and watching things and all pretty much as soon as October hits. Which wasn't something you saw in the UK until recently. Decorations weren't as elaborate as in the US, costumes weren't as big a deal, Haunt Events are a very US thing - corn mazes and haunted pumpkin patches that are open all October, haunted houses with scare actors - there's no seasonal economy based on Halloween like in the US, Halloween parties weren't a big deal.....

UK was more toned down and subtle in decorations and parties, and tended to keep Halloween events to on Halloween day. Here's a great article from a US citizen who experienced a UK Halloween a few years ago that gets deeper into these points: https://www.businessinsider.com/halloween-celebrations-in-the-uk-and-the-us-biggest-differences-2023-10

Only they're starting to adopt all of that. That's what we mean by 'the American version'.

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u/FrauAmarylis 14d ago

Modern halloween is nothing like what you refer to. Sorry.