What are some strange American customs?

[Kainesia]

As a Canadian, there are so many to chose from: the Pledge of Allegiance, the shitty healthcare system, the continuing usage of imperial, the lack of sanity from the politicians, your fanatical obsession with American "football," how you seem to have a "love it or leave it" attitude, the overt nationalism... I can go on and on and on and on, just like your suburbia. And Calgary, for that matter.

At least we don't riot when we lose a football game.

Is this yankee football or real football we are talking about here?

[Neragua]

As a Canadian, there are so many to chose from: the Pledge of Allegiance, the shitty healthcare system, the continuing usage of imperial, the lack of sanity from the politicians, your fanatical obsession with American "football," how you seem to have a "love it or leave it" attitude, the overt nationalism... I can go on and on and on and on, just like your suburbia. And Calgary, for that matter.

At least we don't riot when we lose a football game.

I think the fact Canadians riot over losing a game is testimony to how little they need riot. There's always a riot in the U.S. it seems, usually over the large amount of social injustice there seems to be.

[Neragua]

Like the OP, I too live in the South and do not get America's obssession with football. Why isn'g basketball more popular, it was the only sport invented in America.

By a Canadian.

[Italios]

As a Canadian, there are so many to chose from: the Pledge of Allegiance, the shitty healthcare system, the continuing usage of imperial, the lack of sanity from the politicians, your fanatical obsession with American "football," how you seem to have a "love it or leave it" attitude, the overt nationalism... I can go on and on and on and on, just like your suburbia. And Calgary, for that matter.

I thought it was the Canadians who introduced Americans to 'football'?

[Yumyumsuppertime]

I want to get back to the peanut butter thing.

I heard recently that peanut butter was, if not uniquely American, then at least not well-known in other parts of the world. I checked with some European friends, and many never had it until they were in the States. I checked with American expatriate friends, and heard horror stories from some about not being able to find it anywhere, while others stated that they hadn't had any problems tracking it down.

Is peanut butter really that uncommon elsewhere? And for those outside of America who have tried it, what do you think?

[Arkolon]

I want to get back to the peanut butter thing.

I heard recently that peanut butter was, if not uniquely American, then at least not well-known in other parts of the world. I checked with some European friends, and many never had it until they were in the States. I checked with American expatriate friends, and heard horror stories from some about not being able to find it anywhere, while others stated that they hadn't had any problems tracking it down.

Is peanut butter really that uncommon elsewhere? And for those outside of America who have tried it, what do you think?

Peanut butter even sounds abominable from its name. I mean, peanuts and ... butter? Of all things? I tried it once in the States, and it does taste like it sounds. I'm pretty sure that creation is uniquely American. I suppose it's the Marmite of the USA, unless you guys have Marmite too.

[Italios]

I want to get back to the peanut butter thing.

I heard recently that peanut butter was, if not uniquely American, then at least not well-known in other parts of the world. I checked with some European friends, and many never had it until they were in the States. I checked with American expatriate friends, and heard horror stories from some about not being able to find it anywhere, while others stated that they hadn't had any problems tracking it down.

Is peanut butter really that uncommon elsewhere? And for those outside of America who have tried it, what do you think?

Peanut butter even sounds abominable from its name. I mean, peanuts and ... butter? Of all things? I tried it once in the States, and it does taste like it sounds. I'm pretty sure that creation is uniquely American. I suppose it's the Marmite of the USA, unless you guys have Marmite too.

Nope that stuff is nasty.

[Azes]

Voting Republican.

ba-dum-tss

[Soldati Senza Confini]

I want to get back to the peanut butter thing.

I heard recently that peanut butter was, if not uniquely American, then at least not well-known in other parts of the world. I checked with some European friends, and many never had it until they were in the States. I checked with American expatriate friends, and heard horror stories from some about not being able to find it anywhere, while others stated that they hadn't had any problems tracking it down.

Is peanut butter really that uncommon elsewhere? And for those outside of America who have tried it, what do you think?

Peanut butter even sounds abominable from its name. I mean, peanuts and ... butter? Of all things? I tried it once in the States, and it does taste like it sounds. I'm pretty sure that creation is uniquely American. I suppose it's the Marmite of the USA, unless you guys have Marmite too.

You heretic.

Seriously though, Peanut butter depends on brand. Not all brands are equal.

[Maineiacs]

I want to get back to the peanut butter thing.

I heard recently that peanut butter was, if not uniquely American, then at least not well-known in other parts of the world. I checked with some European friends, and many never had it until they were in the States. I checked with American expatriate friends, and heard horror stories from some about not being able to find it anywhere, while others stated that they hadn't had any problems tracking it down.

Is peanut butter really that uncommon elsewhere? And for those outside of America who have tried it, what do you think?

Peanut butter even sounds abominable from its name. I mean, peanuts and ... butter? Of all things? I tried it once in the States, and it does taste like it sounds. I'm pretty sure that creation is uniquely American. I suppose it's the Marmite of the USA, unless you guys have Marmite too.

There is no actual butter in peanut butter. The name comes from its consistency.

[Yumyumsuppertime]

I want to get back to the peanut butter thing.

I heard recently that peanut butter was, if not uniquely American, then at least not well-known in other parts of the world. I checked with some European friends, and many never had it until they were in the States. I checked with American expatriate friends, and heard horror stories from some about not being able to find it anywhere, while others stated that they hadn't had any problems tracking it down.

Is peanut butter really that uncommon elsewhere? And for those outside of America who have tried it, what do you think?

Peanut butter even sounds abominable from its name. I mean, peanuts and ... butter? Of all things? I tried it once in the States, and it does taste like it sounds. I'm pretty sure that creation is uniquely American. I suppose it's the Marmite of the USA, unless you guys have Marmite too.

It's not peanuts and butter. It's peanuts ground into a paste. Sometimes sugar is added, though purists tend to reject that sort of thing.

We don't have Marmite. Picked it up in a British specialty store. My kid's nurse tried some, hated it the first time, tried it again, and then started to develop a taste for it. I gave her a jar of it. Never developed the liking myself.

I once ran across an English guy online who was horrified by the concept of peanut butter and jelly. I couldn't figure out the extremity of his reaction until I realized that "jelly", to him, was the gelatin dessert that we call "Jell-O".

[United Earthlings]

American customs aren't strange, their exceptional.

I'll concede though with the bacon obsession and using the term Soccer to describe what is clearly "Football".

However, to be fair, those of you living in the rest of the world hardly have a leg to stand on as far as strange customs are concerned. You really think we as Americans came up with all those customs on are own?

[Arkolon]

Peanut butter even sounds abominable from its name. I mean, peanuts and ... butter? Of all things? I tried it once in the States, and it does taste like it sounds. I'm pretty sure that creation is uniquely American. I suppose it's the Marmite of the USA, unless you guys have Marmite too.

There is no actual butter in peanut butter. The name comes from its consistency.

I'm not sure if that makes it better or worse.

[Yumyumsuppertime]

There is no actual butter in peanut butter. The name comes from its consistency.

I'm not sure if that makes it better or worse.

Better. The combination of peanuts and milk fat sounds awful.

[Arkolon]

Peanut butter even sounds abominable from its name. I mean, peanuts and ... butter? Of all things? I tried it once in the States, and it does taste like it sounds. I'm pretty sure that creation is uniquely American. I suppose it's the Marmite of the USA, unless you guys have Marmite too.

It's not peanuts and butter. It's peanuts ground into a paste. Sometimes sugar is added, though purists tend to reject that sort of thing.

We don't have Marmite. Picked it up in a British specialty store. My kid's nurse tried some, hated it the first time, tried it again, and then started to develop a taste for it. I gave her a jar of it. Never developed the liking myself.

I once ran across an English guy online who was horrified by the concept of peanut butter and jelly. I couldn't figure out the extremity of his reaction until I realized that "jelly", to him, was the gelatin dessert that we call "Jell-O".

There's also the whole heresy of converting -ise's into -ize's and the word 'ax' for 'axe'. I swear I thought that last one was a joke at first, but I digress. What do you call the fancy apparatus you clean rooms with, if not a hoover?

[Maineiacs]

There is no actual butter in peanut butter. The name comes from its consistency.

I'm not sure if that makes it better or worse.

I suppose it's all about what one is used to. I find Marmite disgusting.

[Arkolon]

I'm not sure if that makes it better or worse.

Better. The combination of peanuts and milk fat sounds awful.

It tastes like sweet peanut spread, though. I could see it used on cake toppings, but nowhere else really. A bit like Nutella. Is it a dessert or for breakfast? Do you have it on pancakes?

[Yumyumsuppertime]

It's not peanuts and butter. It's peanuts ground into a paste. Sometimes sugar is added, though purists tend to reject that sort of thing.

We don't have Marmite. Picked it up in a British specialty store. My kid's nurse tried some, hated it the first time, tried it again, and then started to develop a taste for it. I gave her a jar of it. Never developed the liking myself.

I once ran across an English guy online who was horrified by the concept of peanut butter and jelly. I couldn't figure out the extremity of his reaction until I realized that "jelly", to him, was the gelatin dessert that we call "Jell-O".

There's also the whole heresy of converting -ise's into -ize's and the word 'ax' for 'axe'. I swear I thought that last one was a joke at first, but I digress. What do you call the fancy apparatus you clean rooms with, if not a hoover?

A vacuum cleaner. "Hoover" is a brand name.

[Arkolon]

I'm not sure if that makes it better or worse.

I suppose it's all about what one is used to. I find Marmite disgusting.

What about Twiglets?

[Yumyumsuppertime]

Better. The combination of peanuts and milk fat sounds awful.

It tastes like sweet peanut spread, though. I could see it used on cake toppings, but nowhere else really. A bit like Nutella. Is it a dessert or for breakfast? Do you have it on pancakes?

It's sweet when sugar is added. I'm not fond of the sugary types of peanut butter, and prefer what they call "old-fashioned" peanut butter, which is less processed, and includes just peanuts and a bit of salt. It's generally used in sandwiches, along with some form of fruit preserves.

[Arkolon]

There's also the whole heresy of converting -ise's into -ize's and the word 'ax' for 'axe'. I swear I thought that last one was a joke at first, but I digress. What do you call the fancy apparatus you clean rooms with, if not a hoover?

A vacuum cleaner. "Hoover" is a brand name.

You can ask for a Kleenex to sneeze into. It's common usage, I'm fairly sure of it. Jell-O is also a brand name, I think.

[Mushroomio]

.00000000000000000000000001% of the population doesn't like Nutella. I murdered them in their sleep.

[Maineiacs]

It's not peanuts and butter. It's peanuts ground into a paste. Sometimes sugar is added, though purists tend to reject that sort of thing.

We don't have Marmite. Picked it up in a British specialty store. My kid's nurse tried some, hated it the first time, tried it again, and then started to develop a taste for it. I gave her a jar of it. Never developed the liking myself.

I once ran across an English guy online who was horrified by the concept of peanut butter and jelly. I couldn't figure out the extremity of his reaction until I realized that "jelly", to him, was the gelatin dessert that we call "Jell-O".

There's also the whole heresy of converting -ise's into -ize's and the word 'ax' for 'axe'. I swear I thought that last one was a joke at first, but I digress. What do you call the fancy apparatus you clean rooms with, if not a hoover?

A vacuum or vacuum cleaner. "Hoover" is only a brand name. As for "ax", I've seen it both way here in the States, and you can blame Daniel Webster for alternate spellings.

[Yumyumsuppertime]

A vacuum cleaner. "Hoover" is a brand name.

You can ask for a Kleenex to sneeze into. It's common usage, I'm fairly sure of it. Jell-O is also a brand name, I think.

Sure, and you can ask for someone to Xerox something. I'm just saying that this is one of the few cases where we don't use the brand name for an item.

Hell, in some places in the South, if you ask for a Coke, they ask if you mean Coca-Cola, 7-Up, Dr Pepper, or root beer.

[Infected Mushroom]

It just sounds like exploitation of labour of some kind.

I don't know...

It helps kids learn about the workplace while they are still living at home, which may make it easier to transition into supporting themselves independently.

i really think having children work ruins their childhood...

it takes away from their already limited free time and I don't think there's any hurry to enter the depressing work life...