What images spring to mind? Traditional stereotypes are probably pretty different. You may imagine James Bond sipping a refined Martini or fashionable celebrities visiting Wimbledon. You might recall Mr Bean’s quirky antics. The United Kingdom is a multi-nation, multi-ethnic land of difference. It’s difficult to find a Brit who doesn’t like a decent cup of tea with a chocolate biscuit.
Here in this article, we will help you understand some of the most famous British traditions, so you do not feel disappointed while traveling there.
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Drinking tea
It’s not just a famous stereotype. The thing is that the basic cup of tea serves as the foundation for many British social relationships. There are people in Britain who don’t like tea, though. However, most Britons drink tea for breakfast, additional tea during work breaks, tea before night, tea when neighbors come, tea at a conference, and tea to help determine how to address a crisis. And don’t forget the renowned British tradition of “dunking,” which involves dipping sweet biscuits into tea before eating them.
Christmas celebration
Christmas is a major holiday for the British people. The season is nice, and because Thanksgiving is not celebrated in England, Christmas arrives early for the British. Nativity performances and carols are customary, as are city centers decked with Christmas trees. Trafalgar Square in London is home to the world’s most renowned Christmas tree, which is lit up in all its grandeur. Santa Claus, called Father Christmas here, will come on Christmas Eve in the middle of the night. Mince pies and sherry or brandy are traditional foods left for him. A roast turkey, baked potatoes, carrots, parsnips, tiny sausages, Brussels sprouts, and Yorkshire pudding are served on Christmas Day. Another Christmas custom is sharing Christmas crackers with loved people.
Pubs
Many people in England have a “local,” a pub they attend regularly and where they know the staff and other customers. Brits normally go to the pub after work on Fridays or Tuesdays with a full team of roughly 50 people. But it’s not only about drinking; it’s also about having fun and chilling out at night. A trip to the pub may include playing darts, watching sports on TV, eating “pub food,” or even participating in a hard pub quiz.
Boxing Day
Boxing Day is December 26th, the day after Christmas. It is an official bank holiday in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Many theories have been proposed to explain the origins of this odd British ritual and celebration, one of which is that this day is set aside for gift-giving to the less fortunate or, simply put, persons of unequal standing.
What occurs on this day nowadays is that people meet to eat the leftovers from the previous day’s celebrations. It is also supposed to be the time to unwind and recover from the holiday celebrations and festivities. However, using cheap car hiring, on this day people can also see relatives who live far from their family.
Football
Probably the most popular sport in England is football. And there are lots of English traditions related only to it. To name just a few:
- Always wear a scarf when you go to see the match. A scarf is some kind of an emblem that shows your affiliation to the team.
- Wearing the weirdest costume you can imagine, no matter how uncomfortable.
- Know all the chants related to the team you like and, if needed, sing them as long as possible.
- Knowing referees as well as players. It’s typical for British fans to yell at referees because of their decisions, not only in matches they are looking at right now.
- A funny tradition of Brits is to bring up historical victories when their team is struggling in the season.
Conclusion
The United Kingdom is a beautiful state with lots of unique, sometimes even awkward, traditions. There’s no way to learn it better than seeing them by yourself. Fortunately, it is very simple nowadays, as you only need to find a car hiring service Europe and travel to this magnificent country.