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8. Sunbathing, wherever, whenever
A final custom, suggested by Sandra from London, is the British tendency to sunbathe at any sight of sun. Perhaps this is a biological necessity, a behaviour common to all people from sun-deprived nations. Any sunny day in the UK with a temperature of over 18 degrees leads to mass delirium. That means people unbuttoning their shirts, rolling up their trousers and stopping everything to sit in the sun, whether they’re in a park, in a city square, at a bus stop, literally anywhere outdoors. And who could blame them for making the most of the British sunshine? Perhaps less healthy is when Brits do the same while on holiday in a hot country like Spain and instead of a sun-kissed glow, end up with an unfortunate “gamba” red!
Thanks to all my British friends and colleagues for explaining just a few of their most representative customs. Of course, there are many more that we could add to the list. Any suggestions? Why not add them to the Facebook comments for this post? Don’t forget to click here for more blog posts about life in the UK.
I am going to tell you about English customs and traditions. First of all it concerns United Kingdom political system. In Great Britain there is no written constitution, only customs, traditions and precedents. After the English Revolution of Great Britain is a constitutional monarchy headed by King (now Queen, Elizabeth the second). Traditionally the queen acts only on the advice of her Ministers. She reigns but she does not rule.
Englishmen have traditions not only in political, but in social life. For example, London , the capital of England , is traditionally divided into three parts: the West End , the East end, and the City. The City is a historical, financial and business center of London . The East End is the district inhabited by the workers, and the West End is a fashionable shopping and entertaining center. English people like to spend their free time in numerous pubs where they can have a glass of beer and talk about different things with their friends.
The English are traditional about their meals. They eat eggs and bacon with toasts for breakfast, pudding or apple pie for dessert. Every English family has five o'clock tea. A typical feature of an English house is a fireplace, even when there is central heating in thehouse.
English people like domestic animals. Every family has a pet: a dog, a cat or a bird.
Politeness is a characteristic feature of Englishmen. They often say "Thank you", "Sorry", "Beg your pardon". Russian people, I think, have to learn this good custom.
Englishmen have many traditional holidays, such as Christmas, St.Valentine's Day, Mother's day, Easter and others.
What comes to mind when you think of British culture? Probably quite differing traditional stereotypes. On the one hand, you might think of James Bond ordering a sophisticated Martini or of stylish celebs attending Wimbledon. While on the other, you might think of the eccentric capers of Mr. Bean. The UK is a multi-nation, multi-ethnic land of diversity and contrast. And yet you’ll find it hard to meet a Brit who doesn’t love a good cup of tea with a nice chocolate biscuit.
This blog post looks at some of the most characteristic customs shared by the British. I feel it necessary to point out that I myself am from southern Ireland and am therefore not a Brit, even though we share many quirks. I have, however, lived in the UK and now spend my days surrounded by many wonderful Brits at British Council Barcelona. In the interests of objectivity (and of course, to avoid controversy), I have consulted British friends and colleagues to ask them what customs they would define as specifically British, for better or worse. Read on for their eye-opening responses.
1. Awkward greetings
Our first respondent, Tamsin from Leicester, suggests that there are no strict rules for greeting somebody in the UK, the only essential element is that it’s awkward. In a country like Spain, the social rules for handshakes or giving two kisses are quite clear. In the UK, greetings can range from a formal handshake to a hug to a nod of the head or perhaps just a simple “Hello”. Such lack of guidance spells social disaster, as one person goes in for a hug while the other is offering a reserved head nod. The result is embarrassment for everybody, and thus a typical British interaction has begun! Try to minimise the awkwardness by at least having some greeting expressions up your sleeve. Click here for some typical expressions in English.
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