10 More Differences Between Brits and Americans

[@quiquaequod322]

Apple pie is fantastic, but (speaking as a Yank, here) I don't really associate it with Christmas. That's more a time for pumpkin pie, or Christmas cookies. Others may have a different view.

[@SRfangirl]

Qui Quae Quod agreed. Apple pie is more of a summer dish, going along with the Fourth of July and Labor Day celebrations.

[@Markle2k]

@@SRfangirl Yeah, my apple tree is pretty bare by November and I'm in California. Canned apples make a third(fourth?)-rate pie.

[@daisychain230]

Pecan or sweet potato pie for Christmas 🎄 and a delicious layered coconut 🥥 cake 🎂 ! Apple pie would be for autumn 🍂 at Thanksgiving and Halloween 🎃.

[@HyperionaSilverleaf]

And pecan pie!

[@arandomyoutubeuser_____8930]

Apple pie is just a fact of life in the South. If there's a celebration, of any sort- there's apple pie. You gotta get a true Southerner to make one right though, otherwise, all you've had is poor imitation. 🙃

[@specialnewb9821]

It gets much hotter in most of the US than Britain. 30c for months on end is a totally normal occurence. In some places your life is at risk in summer without AC.

[@sarawentzel5378]

yep, like down South. We have 100+ degree during the summer, with the humidity its even hotter. I'd love to see any Brit survive summers down here with no cooling.

[@SGlitz]

104 °F August average high 40 °C 82 °F August average low 28 °C in Phoenix

[@Karma-qt4ji]

@@sarawentzel5378 I am a South African now living in the UK, and I battle with the heat here. Since most Brits spend their lives complaining about the weather, it is hard to imagine that it is not permanently grey and cold and drab, but that could not be further from the truth. It does get hot here and it gets very humid. It may not get as bad as America, but then South Africa can and does, and they don't have aircon in many of their homes either, because of the exorbitant cost of running it. I was in Cape Town the day the mercury hit 48 degrees (119F) - it was not funny!

[@jonnunn4196]

Yes, but heat waves are actually much more deadly to the eldery in the Northern part of the US (Chicago / New York City) than the South.

[@michaelbeglin2368]

@@sarawentzel5378 ----you just reminded me of my HVAC dying. I'm in East Tennessee with nothing but a fan, and it gets pretty miserable sometimes. Running those units really isn't worth their cost. I may change my mind when I'm old and cranky.

[@redram5150]

Teavana closed because people aren’t willing to spend $44/ oz for Earl Grey

[@JonBastian]

Or, really, $ 0.40 for that crap.

[@hierok.5125]

Anyone who searched elsewhere for quality tea found better for cheaper too.

[@Ash-gv7uj]

Earl grey is an acquired taste, bit of a strange taste to immediately like or dislike, I like it occasionally but couldn’t have it regularly

[@welshpete12]

I for one who drinks excessive amounts of tea, would never drink the stuff !

[@Ash-gv7uj]

welshpete12 Not a fan then I take it. I grew to like it with age. I started to appreciate stronger flavours. Along side an appreciation for red wine, Guinness, gin and cheese. Yeah, mostly alcohol, not sure what that’s saying haha.

[@JeffinBville]

I think the title should have been: "10 Stereotypes About Brits and Americans".

[@wandab3843]

It should be called Simon Shitting on America and Americans.

[@ShadowDrakken]

Teavana didn't close because tea isn't popular enough, Teavana closed because no one wants to pay $12 for 4oz of tea. As a side note, Starbucks ALSO owned Tazo teas until 2017. Which means they had two competing brands up until Teavana was closed.

[@dahlilance6087]

Morning coffee? No. All. Day. Coffee.

[@alexysq2660]

~Sounds like the way it's done in 'Skandinavia' as well, actually!

[@jacksprat9344]

Talk about a workaholic! But yeah, before I retired, that was me as well.

[@dahlilance6087]

@UCixh90mL6fxZP-9zgsoL1wA I live in the US. I don't know why some poeople speak loudly, I spent a lot of my early education developing musical skills and public speaking so I am loud even when I whisper.

[@dahlilance6087]

@laser325 I don't think coffee is the problem when it comes to road rage. To me that seems more likely related to a feeling of entitlement.

[@donaldmccombs5566]

@laser325 most Americans work jobs with very loud manufacturing noise. Me, I was in the Army for 9 yrs, and became a machinist after that, I am pretty much deaf.

[@rikspector]

Tea is very popular in the US but the Tevana stores were dramatically overpriced and the staff acted like car dealers trying to push outrageous prices on their customers. Yes, it isn't as popular as coffee, but there are many tea drinkers here. Cheers, Rik Spector

[@elaineb7065]

Lives in Scotland, hates tea, loves coffee, likes your post

[@redram5150]

It amused me when the clerk would open the tin and waft the odor of the tea by fanning it with the lid. It smells nice, sure, but that doesn’t tel me anything about how it tastes. I don’t buy Glade Plug-ins by taste testing them

[@hasafienda]

I used to use it just to get the free samples.

[@Markle2k]

It's like the writer has never heard of the South's most iconic drink at home and in restaurants, sweet tea. Or the ubiquitous iced tea of summer. Or the brand that is Lipton.

[@isladurrant7895]

Coffee is very popular in the UK too lots of coffee shops about, Starbucks isn't so popular either because people don't like their coffee or their tax-dodging... Lots of other things we have in common like the gym members who rarely go.

[@lemonsky5378]

I live in Texas and an AC unit is a must. For heating, my family has a heat pump, but people around here also use space heaters. We don't have very cold winters around here, so our electrical usage plummets during the winter. I understand that up north it's basically the opposite. A friend of mine lives in New York City and doesn't even have an AC unit, but does have a furnace. I asked her if she talked to people on the subway and she replied, "Why would I want to do THAT?" When she first visited me, she was unnerved by how friendly people are around here. She's come to like it, though, and enjoys her visits a lot.

[@doctordave12]

Il have you know that people in the south of England will avoid conversations on public transport but that's not the case in the North!

[@benjamintaylor3934]

Geordie here, and completely agree! 😄

[@claressalucas8922]

You think the South is like the Twilight Zone? Well, bless your heart!

[@alexysq2660]

*@Claressa Lucas* ~Ohhhh; one *knows* what a (US) 'Southerner' REALLY means, when they say *that* to someone ({; D ...!!!

[@Kjs_interests]

LOL.

[@antiisocial]

Damn straight.

[@Venezolano410]

@Ashuwah WC Anyone who would denigrate Americans, especially southerners, is worth watching.

[@claressalucas8922]

@@magecraft9140 Hey y'all, let's remember what Mamanem taught us about keepin' hush if we can't say something nice...or at least say something mean nicely. I love you, Simon! If you're ever in Atlanta, let me show you true Southern hospitality. I'll treat you to some of the best food in the world and let you ride in the back of my pickup truck to get there.

[@jaspr1999]

Some of the discussions I've had with my British friends have covered a few of these. The concept of time off was rather shocking to them but not so much to my Japanese friends. The concepts of exaggeration are hilarious as my British friends tend to understate everything while my U.S. friends tend to overstate everything. The one thing that British, U.S. and Japanese people have in common is the more alcohol is involved the louder the volume from the person. Try having an international gaming meetup with copious amounts of drinks and by the end of the gaming session, all are passed out but remain great friends.

[@KingDomsKingdom85]

Sounds like a typical weekend for us Brits to be fair pal 😂

[@jaspr1999]

@@KingDomsKingdom85 - Sounds great to me! Still, I'll never make the mistake of drinking games with you Brits OR the Japanese again!

[@DiracComb.7585]

@@jaspr1999 “that’s why I’ll never forgive the Japanese!”

[@andrewtaylor6985]

Speaking for myself but as a British citizen, I enjoy coffee and tea equally. They both have a time and a place in my daily schedule.

[@alexysq2660]

*@theman fromtaured* ~Ah; a fellow 'Brit' here, and...exactly the same, for/with me!

[@jacksprat9344]

@@alexysq2660 If I don't want the "kick" of coffee, I would enjoy a cup of Earl Grey, no sugar or milk. I really enjoyed the taste straight up. And I'm from the U.S.

[@alexysq2660]

@@jacksprat9344 ~Ohhh; you *are* a 'brave one': *"no* sugar or milk"...! Personally, i couldn't do it like that actually; i've got to have the sugar, at least... if not the milk, as well ({; D ....!!

[@rosemarieconklin4683]

Me too and i'm American

[@yes0r787]

@A Taylor - Same for me. Usually, I have a tea in the morning and a coffee after lunch or at "tea time".

[@SorasShadow1]

The thing with large portion sizes at sit down restaurants is so that you'll have leftovers the next day for lunch. In the south it's also a hospitality thing so you can ensure no one is going hungry by giving them too little, that's why Americans make so many jokes about those high end restaurants with tiny portion sizes. It's not so much that people over eat constantly (they can and do, just not to the extent people assume), but that cheaper food is _really_ bad for you and loads of people don't have the time or money to afford proper diet and exercise, see the later part of the video where he mentions how workaholic American culture tends to be.

[@ISoloYouRelax]

Amen. When I cook I pile the food up on other's plates that way they'll have some left over vs having to ask for seconds.

[@steveno3141]

Get a big enough meal from a resturant and stretch it over 2-3 days to save money even though eating once a day is appearently bad for you.

[@akidmyself4053]

It's not a money issue. It's a knowledge issue. I didn't start to slim down until after I took a college nutrition class. Why? Because I learned how to count my calories and how to eat things that filled me up. You can loose weight on a junk food diet if you count your calories. I advise against this, but if you're are going to eat it anyways, at least know what options are best. And for those of you who are wondering, I'm lower middle class and I'm currently at a healthy BMI somewhere around 24.

[@SorasShadow1]

@@steveno3141 Yeah you should eat like 3 times a day with snacks & stuff between but I've totally stretched restaurant meals over several days before. I wish he'd covered that difference in the video actually, if just the hospitality thing!

[@SorasShadow1]

@@ISoloYouRelax My favorite part is packing up the food afterwards & making sure people have some to take home if you've made enough. Feels nice to be able to feed people more than the one time so they don't have to worry about cooking or getting food for a little bit.

[@Idahoguy10157]

80% of American drivers have road rage? That needs a source citation

[@z.s.7992]

There are some people in the states that are very modest and moderate. We do tend to work incredibly hard. Most people don't get vacations.

[@oppressednolonger1497]

yes I know many modest and moderate ones, so much so they dont make much of a fuss about it, which is likely why you dont hear from the more modest of them >

[@Ginkgo_leaf_3000]

I just want to point out that as a Englishman we are for the most part a lot more friendly and sociable out of the big towns and city's. It is places like London that get the bad reputation. You will normally get a friendly "Hello" if you happen to pass a stranger walking in the opposite direction to you in the countryside.

[@CulturePhilter]

What are you talking about with British homes don’t have central heating!? Every house I’ve ever lived in in the UK bar one has had central heating as does 90% of other people’s homes I’ve been in. You’re right about the lack of air con though. I’d only be needed for a couple of weeks a year so not really worth it.

[@aitchpea6011]

In America, central heating generally means central air - the same system delivers either hot or cold air, depending on your requirements. Simon misspoke slightly by equating their central air with our central heating.

[@CulturePhilter]

Harry Potter - ah I see. You’d think being English he wouldn’t get confused like that 😀

[@DennisMartinezCalifornia]

Love seeing Simon talk about British culture and customs

[@inforjbtiling]

All houses built in the UK in the last 40 years have central heating

[@wackyruss]

Apple Pie is not generally eaten specifically for Christmas. It’s a symbol of Americana, true, but not associated specifically with Christmas. The only American holiday that has pies associated with it would be Thanksgiving but those pies are pumpkin pie and pecan pie. Down in Texas we eat apple pie or apple cobbler a la mode (with a scoop of Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream) any time of the year!

[@HikaruKatayamma]

The massive overtime isn't because it's the american dream to succeed, it's because corporations have told their employees if they don't do that, they'll be replaced. Fortunately I work for a company that discourages OT, and (having 6 years seniority) I get 20+ hours of PTO to use as I will, as well as time for charity work and other things.

[@PracticalTacticalSheepDog]

Yes because you speak for all Americans... many people myself included work overtime so we can afford more luxury items to live a more comfortable life and give our families a more comfortable life. Last year I averaged 74hrs a week between contract security and Bail Enforcement, I could have paid all my bills working 40hrs. I worked the extra hours to be able to afford all the extra non essentials that I wanted.

[@maximeboissonneault6203]

20+ hours ?! That’s like 3 days, that’s nothing!

[@HikaruKatayamma]

@@maximeboissonneault6203 Sorry... 20 DAYS of PTO. That's what I get for writing something when tired.

[@HikaruKatayamma]

@@PracticalTacticalSheepDog So your 40 hours was pretty much sustenance pay. Enough to let you get buy, but was it enough to let you also save for retirement while actually living comfortably? And how much did the owner of the company make compared to you? Is he one of these people making $50M+ while you're working 40-50K?

[@ariaalexandria3324]

@@PracticalTacticalSheepDog My husband works 40 hours and we have all those things. We own a home, I spend a month or two a year in Paris, am planning another trip this year with our daughter, who takes ballet classes at a national professional company, I've dropped $5,000 on an embroidery machine just because I wanted one, we have a rare breed of dog, have 3-floor 2500sq.ft. house with 6 bedrooms and almost every amenity you can imagine...and my husband gets 4-6 weeks off, paid. Being able to live comfortably with some of the extras shouldn't require you to work so much that you don't have time to enjoy anything. You're ignoring that. You either work yourself to the bone and an early grave for employers, or you're not going to get ahead. That's the point Hikaru is making.

[@wildshadowstar]

You forgot about the southern United States' love of sweet tea, though that's significantly different than what the British drink. As for gym membership vs outdoor exercise, that depends on location. In the south, we tend to get outside more than our northern neighbors due to weather as it's hotter for longer periods of the year. That also affects HVAC vs sucking it up. Southern states have a tendency to reach triple digits, and that's not including humidity, which can raise the temp even more. As for the northern states, having air conditioning is sensible only in the sense that since heating ducts have to be installed anyway, it makes sense to have air conditioning.

[@brentsander4849]

Darlin', down south we ask about your mama and the general well being of of your family. It's called jawin' and it's considered rude not to engage in as long as you're not holding up the line.

[@airracer28]

It's considered rude to not want to be forced into conversation? wtf

[@robertharris6092]

@@airracer28 yup. I can confirm.

[@millermonsterair]

"chewin' the fat" is more of the term youre going for. at least, thats what i found out its called in the carolinas anyway.

[@battymcbatson]

I'm from the uk and I'm super sociable but the idea of being expected to start a conversation with a complete stranger gives me anxiety. Leave me alone!! 😫🤣

[@jagiggles1985]

It's a sign of bad manners not to ask how the family is and to send a hello to them when running into someone. Example: "How has your mom been? I havent seen her in a while. Tell her I asked about her!"

[@1701spacecadet]

There are houses here in England older than the US. Says a lot about our amazing building skills.

[@margueritejohnson6407]

1701spacecadet I live in a small converted bakery which is 600 years old and structurally very sound and solid. I also never drink tea and would kill anyone who came between me and my morning coffee.

[@seanseoltoir]

Not every house from 243 years ago is still standing, only the ones that were built well enough. So, it's kind of a "natural selection" process. There's a lot more to it though than just being built well... It has a lot to do with the attitude of the people and their willingness to preserve their architectural history. In many places in the US, people are more than willing to tear down old buildings in order to build something new vs remodeling the older building. Some of that is cost -- often it is cheaper to tear down and build new than to remodel. Also, the old buildings in the UK are often made from stone instead of wood. Being a country that has been settled for a lot longer time, they used up their timber resources and had to use stone for a lot of their construction. Being a colder climate, they do not have trees that grow as fast as in the US with our warmer climate. When they were clearing land for farms hundreds of years ago, one of the obstacles was all the large stones that were scattered across the fields that they were trying to create. Some of this is natural rock formations and some of it was just deposits from the glaciers in the last ice age. To make a field for farming, all those rocks need to be removed. The farmers would move the rocks to the sides and use them for fences and buildings. They don't have the extreme weather events like tornadoes or hurricanes, so those structures tend to last quite awhile. They don't tend to have earthquakes, so stone and masonry buildings last longer. Haiti used masonry construction in many of their buildings and that is the reason that their earthquake destroyed so much a few years ago. If you have an area prone to earthquakes, you really should consider building material than can flex a bit without collapsing (e.g. timber / lumber construction).

[@thostaylor]

To an American, a house is old if it pre-dates the Civil War. We English have the same conceit.

[@ireneteaches8994]

Or it says that you built lots of stuff from stone, where North America was in large part forested, with wood (seemingly) for the taking for most of American history. Why aren't there more 17th and 18th-century American houses and other buildings? There's really no reason there shouldn't be, except the most elemental. They were built with wood, and wood burns. That's what happened to Old NYC.

[@popeyethepirate5473]

When I was in England I stayed in an inn that was absolutely ancient. It was at least well over 600 years maybe closer to 900. The floors upstairs where so uneven it was comical.

[@mississippirebel1409]

Obviously you have never been the Deep South (the real South) in the US. If you don't have an AC (air conditioner) then you will probably die of a heat stroke sooner or later lol. I am from the great state of Mississippi and during the long summers we will easily reach temperatures of around 100 degrees or more with 90% humidity!!! Even during the winter we keep our AC's running! Also when I was growing up (i'm now 35 yrs old) we didn't have a clothes dryer, we hung our clothes out to dry in the back yard.

[@StevenJM1988]

MississippiRebel Same in Oklahoma

[@sivonni]

Many Europeans forget that they exist in a different environment than America, literally. The most southern European countries are on the same latitude as our northernmost states (Italy is on the same latitude as New York, for instance).

[@michw3755]

Your ancestors managed without AC just fine, it's a 21st century invention

[@DiamondTurtle]

I would ABSOLUTELY die without air conditioning and feel so lonely without the small talk. I have also lived in Alabama for my entire life, so I have never experienced living in a place where the weather is decent enough to live without HVAC. It’s the land of fire and ice in the Southeast United States.

[@MiscMitz]

I DO NOT HAVE ROAD RAGE! 😉

[@Ryan-ps5xc]

Just a quick heads up. The reason everyone in the United States has air conditioners. Is because our summers are a lot hotter than those in the U. K. From coast to coast especially in the south. Temperatures can easily be over 100° in fact quite a few elderly people die because they do not have air conditioners.

[@kerryann2041]

Us brits do think a cup of tea will sort everything out!! 😂 I'd definitely prefer apple pie over Christmas pudding ..👌👍

[@JohnRody]

Apple pie is amazing!

[@kerryann2041]

@@JohnRody so true! Ice cream on the side. Making me crave some now 😛😂

[@JohnRody]

Kerry Ann gotta also say though that pie in general is amazing! Lol

[@lisamac1986]

Kerry Ann Definitely! Although my neighbours husband is a chef and he makes the most beautiful Christmas pudding for me and my partner every year.

[@kerryann2041]

@@lisamac1986 Aww what a lovely kind neighbor. Mine can't even muster a hello a lot of the time 😂.

[@isoldedepompadour1655]

I am English and married to an American (you and he look startlingly similar Simon, you have an American doppelganger). One of the largest rows in the history of our marriage was over the origin of apple pie. It ended with Chaucer...

[@withintheshyness]

In many places in the US actually have a fee for plastic bags. For example, Portland, Or has a 25 cent tax on plastic bags (per bag) and that's if they even have that option

[@spacecaptain9188]

Apple pie isn't an xmas tradition, so much as a catch all for gatherings. Anyone attending an office party, barbecue, holiday function, family reunion, or potluck can fairly safely assume that an apple pie will be appreciated by their fellow guests.

[@iammaxhailme]

I'm American, but keeping score, I side with the UK on 6/10 of these!

[@davidkennedy1077]

You are now classed as an honorary Brit. What country were your ancestors from??? (I hope that question doesn't come across as rude, but America is the land of immigration, so you all originated in different countries unless you are of native heritage)

[@iammaxhailme]

@@davidkennedy1077 1/4 danish, 3/4 ugly ashkenazi german 8)))

[@alexysq2660]

@@iammaxhailme ~Ohhh, NO; why "ugly"?? The Ashkenazi (German-or-otherwise...!) are lovely people, sincerely...!

[@jacksprat9344]

100% Euromutt. Not an ounce of American Indian ancestry.

[@welshpete12]

I will buy you a cup of tea anytime ! plus a cucumber sandwich . :-)

[@EvelynElaineSmith]

How much small talk Americans engage in depends on what section of the country someone lives in; for example, Southerners are more likely to engage in small talk than people in the urban Northeast. Lots of cities, for example, Austin, Texas, have banned plastic bags. Consumers are encouraged to use totes elsewhere, but it's not necessarily mandatory.

[@turbosdolphin]

#6 - A friendly update. I don't know about the rest of the US, but here in Hawaii, we have to pay for plastic, and sometimes paper bags at most shops (anywhere between $0.10 - $0.15/bag.) Interesting video though. Thanks Simon and Co!!! 👏👏😊

[@Kris-wo4pj]

Eh only certain places do that in the mid west. Most places give ya bags and bag it for ya. Tho all places (most) are giving discounts if ya bring a resusable bag.

[@michaelb1761]

In California the bags start at $1 and get more expensive from there.

[@jacksprat9344]

@@michaelb1761 Depends on which part of CA you're from. In Monterey they range from a dime to a quarter.

[@deltalimabravo6727]

Same for CA and it wasn’t a big deal.

[@deltalimabravo6727]

@@michaelb1761 Yeah, that was never the case 3 years ago. It started at a dime and you’re just trolling.

[@alexhurst3986]

#5. Try living in Texas were the summers are hot AF, like 60 days straight of 100f+. (38c). You will pray your air conditioning works. Large cars, big roads.... You can fit the UK into Texas four times. We have a bit further to drive and don't want to do it with our knees in our faces.

[@hankw5086]

RE #2: I used to work for the U.S. branch of a Dutch company. We got a memo from the main office stating that they want us to use up our vacation time, but our U.S. bosses made it clear that they disagreed. I was even reprimanded for taking 3 sick days after having half of my thyroid gland removed!

[@clwest3538]

That company attitude is why I don't work for large company.

[@yes0r787]

How awful. I'm very sorry they treated you like that. I hope you are doing well now.

[@oppressednolonger1497]

ugh...

[@Arkhavist_S]

The giant trucks thing is even more fun when you live in an old town with small, old streets and small, old parking lots.

[@_Daio_]

Stylphede So vans are out too then. I live in Wales mate, old streets and small is all we do, but you could still drive the trucks he showed.

[@temperlore6938]

So typically at Christmas in America we have minced meat pie, pecan, or pumpkin not apple. These are the more traditional. I am sure there are a few that have apple but it is not typical.

[@michaelb1761]

Do you have traditional mince meat pie made with a sugary cured meat, raisin, brandy, etc concoction? I haven't met anybody since my great aunt who makes this, but she used to make a minced meat pie for my grandfather, her brother, every Thanksgiving. Personally, I'd prefer apple over the traditional holiday pies, but I agree apple is not a traditional Christmas pie.

[@temperlore6938]

No meat. That would take effort lol. Just fruits.

[@HyperionaSilverleaf]

@@michaelb1761 mince meat normally doesn't have animal meat. Meat used to refer to any flesh, including plant flesh.

[@michaelb1761]

@@HyperionaSilverleaf Traditional mince meat is made with suet. Yes, not meat per se, but certainly from an animal.

[@Pooky1991]

Forget all that. Give me sweet potatoe pie anyday

[@seannot-telling9806]

The 80% that have road rage are pissed off by the 20% that don't know how to drive or have a clue how to be polite on the road. However some of that 80% are also part of the 20%. Rudeness on the road can also be a big factor in road rage.

[@antiisocial]

Truth.

[@seannot-telling9806]

@laser325 Add to that the self centered aspect and we get what we have.

[@treygantzler3826]

True. Someone will get angry that they are being impeded in the passing lane by a slower driver. But then they will also block flow for someone going even faster than they are. Their thinking is, “I wasn’t going too fast but this guy behind me needs to slow down.” It’s bad. We need licensing and road rules like the Germans.

[@mermaidwe2743]

I love the south. I once bought a bag of peanuts, from a wagon, and was called sweetie, honey and darlin in that 5min transaction. I remarked that based on that I knew I was in the south. Loved it. FYI born in the south and have always lived here.

[@Rr-qz5rc]

No one eats apple pie for Christmas. We don’t even eat fruit cake anymore

[@SkyWidows]

This is the last video I'm watching in my home of 6 years. Thank you.

[@danielcannon4727]

Sky Widows I'm sorry

[@awells444]

As far as HVAC, in MA our yearly temperature swing goes from 100+F to 0- F.

[@jason-uk]

Love these uk comparison videos keep em coming

[@cmhughes8057]

I live in the southwest, if we did not have AC here, well let’s just say life would not be livable here. An upside is that with so much sun, solar panels are a great investment and cut electrical use by quite a bit.

[@georgiahogue8588]

As an American with many British friends I find these quite interesting. Thank you.

[@LaszloPanaflex]

A lot of this stuff is changing. My city recently banned plastic bags for many usages, public transport and smaller cars are becoming more common, and many older areas are getting gentrified, where old structures are updated while preserving aesthetic elements. On the other side of the pond, the two times I was in Britain I was offered coffee at every meal, even "tea."

[@rohancook8588]

Up North we love talking, rarely find silence in Newcastle!

[@paganphil100]

Rohan Cook: Very true, I've been there....the only problem is understanding some of the "Geordie" accents :-)

[@aroundtheworldlearning2309]

Americans don't tend to have apple pie for Christmas. That's for Thanksgiving. We tend to eat cookies at Christmas time.

[@lynnedumas746]

I live in New England. A lot of these generalities are more similar to Great Britain than the US, especially the building thing.

[@spunkythedingo9859]

I believe that #4 has much to do with the size of cities; British being more urban than rural than America; In small town America, one is more likely to know the person to make small talk, rather than a Brit on the London Tube, he or she most likely knows no one on the train/carriage; the same would go for a New Yorker on the Subway; talking to strangers in America is more common in the south

[@spunkythedingo9859]

also, I wish people would discuss the difference of the use of the word 'mad' where in America in means 'angry' and elsewhere it means ' crazy or wild'.

[@kristamotta4550]

The part about cars is so true for Americans 😂 but I will say the reason we use our cooling systems almost all year round is because it’s warm almost all year round (except this year 😒). A couple years ago is was 95 degrees Fahrenheit on Christmas Day! I live in Los Angeles and this last summer it was over 100 degrees almost everyday so yeah I’m going to use air conditioning. I NEVER use heating though, but we also don’t get snow

[@_Daio_]

Krista Motta The part about cars is so wrong for Brits, Us Brits need to think about the cost of fuel/gas. Most of us try and stick to 2-litre engines or less.

[@kristamotta4550]

@daio I meant the part about how most people have nicer cars than their houses/ apartments. There’s more of a shift along the west coast for more electric and plug in hybrids. But in the middle of the country, you still have people with big pick up trucks for no reason 😒

[@fishinforfun3359]

Suck it up, it’s the weather? The weather in England isn’t extreme enough to warrant the use of central heating and cooling. Sure, it can be moderately chilly, but nothing like the extreme hot and cold temperatures of lots of places in the United States!

[@EloquentTroll]

Small talk on the train? Yeah, no, we read or stare at phones in the US too.

[@TheLhester1965]

I challenge you to come to the Florida Gulf Coast with no central A/C. I don't care how much stone a house has, we have cinder block buildings that will kill you. Brick oven ring a bell? Oh, by the way, "Have a nice day!"

[@jonathanpalmer228]

The weather in the US compared to the UK is so different it's not even funny. Y'alls winters are like San Diego daily weather, unlike NY or Georgia, when I have lived in both have pretty cold winter(Gerogia getting down to mid 20s and NY getting even colder) and hotter summers where it's high 100s in Georgia and high 80s to 90s in NY. So owning a gym membership makes sense.

[@London_Mule]

Cities like NY, Philidelphia, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Seattle, etc. have insane weather. 80-100+ degrees Fahrenheit in the summer to as low as -20 F in the winter. Then there's also insane humidity levels.

[@jonathanpalmer228]

@@London_Mule yeah I know. Hes comparing a mild climate too very different ones. Aka why we dont go outside and exercise and have central heating and cooling.

[@thescarecrow.8581]

In the UK there is a north South divide when it comes to speaking to people at the Checkout in a shop or on buses or trains etc. The north of England has been classed as a more friendly area than the South of England.

[@eb44345]

I bet a lot of the settlers that came to America in the 1600s and 1700s were from those areas.

[@topperhec]

Down south is the best place to live and we take time for family friends and future friends

[@antiisocial]

Howdy

[@bplup6419]

In England people avoid small talk and eye contact. In New Jersey if you make eye contact with someone you're likely to get shanked, but that's just how we say hello.

[@paganphil100]

BP Lup: The "small talk" thing in England only applies to the South-East / London. Talk to a stranger on the streets in London and they will usually just ignore you (or panic and run away) but in the North its completely the opposite....everyone is much friendlier "Up North".

[@johnlarson111]

assumptions like stereotypes are always dangerous.

[@carmenibanez505]

99.9% of British houses have central heating, we also don't use wood burners. . . .

[@czellner5894]

Not to mention, both of us think the other is weird.... LOL

[@juliestevens6931]

In Maryland (USA), they charge 5 cents for each plastic bag used, so we have learned to carry our own reusable backs. Often made out of recycled plastic. Some of us are even getting away from using recycled plastic bags and going for all cloth bags. When we go to Virginia, West Virginia or other states near by, we often have to tell them "no thanks" on bags. They even look at us funny sometimes. :o)

[@michaelb1761]

In California you can't even buy disposable bags like that anymore. You are required by law (passed by the voters) to use only reusable bags. When I go to other states, I get as many free bags as I can. I used to use the store bags for the trash can and the dog excrement. Now I have to buy those disposable bags.

[@_Daio_]

The car-size is down to the cost of fuel/gas.

[@joewilson941]

I live in the UK... I have a ceiling fan in my room, I fitted one in each bedroom in our house! Our neighbours have an aircon unit on the outside of their house! Some of us Brits do actually know how to keep cool during the summer 😎👍🏼

[@deadlegdan]

I find the stereotypes of Americans amusing. So many of the stereotypes are only applicable to certain parts of the country. You really should come out to the States yourself. Travel across and see how different the cultures are in different parts. Basically what you are doing is like me lumping the English, Scots and Welsh all in one group.

[@jacksprat9344]

Having lived in Scotland for a while (curtesy[SP] of Uncle Sam) I tend to agree.

[@EvelynElaineSmith]

Apple pie isn't usually eaten at Christmas.

[@kateday8714]

Okay, some of these things about "Americans" are wildly over generalized. Also a lot of your comparison explanations imply that Britain is obviously better. (Maybe I"m inferring that as I'm American and have a social anxiety about being judged.) Your geographical climate and location and surface area are far different from the vast multi-climated US. Parts of our country are literally desert. I'd like to see you "Suck it up, it's the weather" in Arizona. As well as "just exercise outside." Ya got me on the Vacation time thing. But my immediate reaction was "do you know how much shit I've had to cover when someone I work with calls off or goes on vacation!" which was actually much more my old jobs.

[@bigtinasoup2927]

Two things, why make a settlement in a sand pit in the first place. And "well done"? Is that what you wanted for working? I don't see an issue.

[@dapprman]

A number of points of order dear boy. First there is no shortage of building materials in the UK, however in more recent centuries we've built strong, partly to withstand fires, but also partly because of a feel of solidity (every man's home his his castle, etc). I believe in the US the more temporary nature of your buildings is due to the large quantities of readily available timber and the ease at which you can build with it. Second - in England and Wales (NI and Scotland may have different laws) it is 10 days paid leave, not five weeks.

[@jacksprat9344]

@Davvy Jannes You did okay. Concise.

[@mrb435]

Not correct on the annual leave thing I'm afraid. UK employers are obligated to give the employee 5.6 weeks of paid leave per year but this can include the 8 days of public (bank) holidays.

[@TennesseeTimmy-]

Did you get the American "stereotypes" from California? Lol

[@Spicy656]

Interesting videos. Being an American myself, I feel obligated to point out that some of these traditions vary greatly by region. Also, I am not sure that any region specifically has apple pie associated with Christmas (as some other commenters have mentioned). Pumpkin pie (and in my region, pecan pie) is more of the fall and winter holiday tradition.

[@tobytowbs2370]

No. 11: No venue in the UK has a rule about buying a minimum number of alcoholic drinks. Not only would such a low threshold be absurd, but you would basically be telling the British public that your venue was absolutely no fun at all!

[@SevCaswell]

It would also be illegal, it is against the law to sell alcohol to an inebriated person in the UK (one of the least enforced parts of the licencing laws)

[@debramarshall4959]

I’m from the South in America and we chat with everyone! Lol

[@stevengrant9771]

I'm sorry - but I hear a lot of negative stereotyping of American culture. Frankly our culture is so much more diverse that it really isn't possible anymore to say there is a "common" American way of doing things. For every difference that Simon seems to think is negative in American there is a logical reason or justification for the difference - or even a positive. I'm only going to mention one thing - the prevalence of air-conditioning - our weather is far different and varies significantly. Try living in Florida with the heat and humidity without air-conditioning. Or Arizona. Or even Iowa in the summer.

[@JohnRody]

Hahahah love the cup of tea. I also noticed some pronounce schedule as shedule they don’t pronounce the C 😂😂😂

[@JohnRody]

Daniel Hodge very true, I guess since I’ve lived in America, when I first heard it without the C I definitely turned my head

[@christelheadington1136]

That's how they learned in shool.

[@JohnRody]

Christel Headington I know, just an observation

[@davidkennedy1077]

The British at Christmas "dont have massive light displays", when was the last time you visited Britain??? Festive light displays at UK houses have been getting more extravagant since the 90s, with plenty of houses going full on. I live in a small town in Essex, and we have a whole small housing estate where, every year, nigh on every house gets covered in lights, singing snowmen, projected Father Christmas, and a few snow machines. This is done yearly to raise money for charity, and every Christmas time becomes a local destination for hundreds and hundreds of visitors. I feel a little sorry for the few houses that dont participate in the tradition (for whatever reason, be that different religion or Scrooge-ism) as the estate fills with visitors cars as families park and walk round the estate with their wide eyed children (including my wife, 3 kids and me!)

[@bigtinasoup2927]

I live in a small town in Hampshire. Every year we have crimbo lights go up and makes the town look very nice. It's the local fireman that fit and look after the lights.

[@aitchpea6011]

The fact that so many people come to your area to see the lights shows how rare it is to have such displays. Of course, I applaud the charitable nature of the efforts in your town, but it still isn't a common practice across most of the UK

[@davidkennedy1077]

@@aitchpea6011 the thing that makes it an attraction, is that 20 to 30 houses in close proximity participate. But it's pretty normal to decorate houses to varying degrees, some have lights in the windows (or trees or bushes) and some go much, much further. When i drive about at Christmas with my children in the car, on the journey the kids spot the most impressive displays. Its definitely not rare in Essex.

[@aitchpea6011]

@@davidkennedy1077 Maybe not rare in Essex, but I've lived in quite a few counties and cities over the last 30 years and have seen maybe a couple of dozen houses in total lit up at Christmas in the manner of the American displays we're told about in this video. Yes, more restrained displays like LEDs and spray-on fake snow - both in the window - are quite common along with the occasional external decoration, but that's not what we were talking about :-)

[@davidkennedy1077]

@@aitchpea6011 maybe it's an Essex thing then. In the early 90s there was 1 local house, where an old guy went mad with the decorations (and done the charity collecting) He ended up too old to do it anymore, so he had to scale back. Maybe he was the trend setter, because it seems to have spread from there. Even the road I live in now we have a couple of houses that have lights, projected pictures etc. My wife and I go a little more subtle, just lights in the window but the majority of the decorations are inside.

[@BeatlesFanSonia]

You made another video about many Americans never visiting other countries! The answer to that is in this video. With one week or less of vacation time, leaving the country is not worth it! That’s not even taking the cost of a long trip into account. If they can afford it, most Americans travel after they retire!

[@densealloy]

As far as the HVAC in the US it's easy to forget how much further south the US is. The majority of the country being in the same latitude as the Mediterranean or North Africa. It surely isn't apples to apples due to ocean currents but it is something to think about. And HVAC is so necessary here in AZ but they do go too far as I actually have to take a sweater with me when we go out to dinner for instance. I keep my home at 25C during the summer and to cheap to turn on the heat until it's at least 14C (an excuse to snuggle up with the wife😁) in the home.

[@antiisocial]

Yeah. I'm in Houston. Def need AC here as well.

[@JESUSisLORD24151]

Sir, you have the most wonderful videos. They are very in-depth, detailed, and informative, not to mention just fun to watch. Anyway, I don't agree with you on everything but I still love to watch and listen. Keep up the great work and have a wonderful day.

[@nusquamesse1248]

Do Yanks eat apple pie at Christmas? I know many people from the States. We've often shared our holiday traditions especially Christmas as we find ourselves overseas during the holidays. I've never known any of them to even mention the desire to eat apple pie. Edit: I meant, "eat apple pie (at Christmas)." Of course some of them eat apple pie at other times of the year. So do a lot of people. Yet, I've never heard anyone other than Simon imply that it's associated with Christmas.

[@GFSLombardo]

The USA is so large and diverse that there really is no "one size fits all" Christmas dinner. Many types of foods and desserts (puddings) are served; including pies, apple or otherwise The only one consistent items may be the American "Fruitcake", or "Christmas cookies"-But no one I have ever known actually likes them. Its just an American"THING" (lol).

[@Brianpeckin]

I hate apple pie give me pecan

[@turtle4llama]

We do not. Mince, pumpkin, sweet potato, and pecan are more likely.

[@Brianpeckin]

@@turtle4llama mince? No one eats that disgusting stuff the rest yes

[@Rattus-Norvegicus]

Cheesecake for me baby... or some pumpkin pie.

[@plainlogic]

I don't know any Americans that have apple pie for Christmas. We have pecan or pumpkin pie.

[@taqiyasir8086]

I think after Brexit the idea of British people being sensible and thinking of the consequences of an action before committing it is out the window.

[@aitchpea6011]

Yeah, like that's ever going to happen. They gave us a referendum and promised to abide by the results. Now they're saying weeeeelll, maybe we'll have another referendum. Only diffference is, the leavers were statistically older, while the remainers were statistially younger. A number of leavers have passed on, while an equivalent number of remainers have become eligible to vote. As the vote was so close to begin with, it's very likely that it'll swing the other way and we won't be leaving the EU.

[@shebbs1]

That's just the thing, Remoaners forget that we did think about the consequences if handing our sovereignty, bib by bit, to Germany, France and Brussels wasn't what we wanted. Then again, you should be happy : Cameron was a coward and quit, putting his wounded pride ahead of public duty, and May has royally buggered up Brexit as she is a Remoaner herself. So be happy.

[@Li.Siyuan]

Remember that statistically, older people are far more knowledgeable and have far more experience than younger people. Perhaps that's why we voted to get out. We think with our heads rather than just our heart - at least I did.

[@jimsvideos7201]

I seem to recall reading an encyclopedia entry describing the British urge to widen roadways and a curious practice of lying in front of the bulldozer by way of protest.

[@margueritejohnson6407]

Jim's videos You could be referring to the first chapter of ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’.

[@jimsvideos7201]

@@margueritejohnson6407 Maaaaaaybe.

[@helirobk9]

Boxing Day was traditionally (in the UK) for boxing up unwanted presents for the needy

[@Nobody-11B]

I thought that was about boxing is in literal fisticuffs...

[@cerberus7.625]

I thought it was because of the “Boxer Rebellion “

[@cerberus7.625]

laser325 , that makes a lot more sense, thanks

[@Markle2k]

I thought the box contained leftovers from the Christmas feast.

[@FoxBoi69]

there is no question about how tea became a thing. the brits used to drink hot water every day. but when the romans attacked brittain under the rule of julius caeser, they asked for help. the help arived and they brew tea together. it was claimed that this liquid could give you unnatural strength and so they defeated the romans and drank tea from that poind forth.

[@margueritejohnson6407]

¿sᴉɥʇ pɐǝɹ noʎ uɐƆ ? Are you an Asterix fan too?

[@FoxBoi69]

@@margueritejohnson6407 you got it.

[@213dreamingstar]

That last point tho. You gotta be afraid of people not only having road rage, but road rage WITH GUNS. Makes driving super enjoyable and stress free! /s

[@TheBamaChad-W4CHD]

I never understood the phrase "its as American as Apple pie" I understand that we surely love our apple pie but everyone loves it lol. I mean everyone. I'm sure there are many people in the world who have never had apple pie but once they taste it they will love it. Maybe that's what the world needs. Worldwide apple pie day of peace.

[@GFSLombardo]

It has become a cliche of "AMERICANA" possibly going back to WWII. When asking an ordinary American serviceman why and for what was he fighting for the sarcastic answer was: for " baseball, hot dogs and mom's apple pie"! (sometimes it was cherry, or blueberry, but the point was made, apple pie=America.

[@Chalky.]

I just don't like the taste of tea and haven't had any in at least 20 years.

[@TheRedRuin]

I'm British and tea is shite lol.

[@JoshuaResnick-qd7ln]

I've never had apple pie on Christmas. Never heard of anyone having it on Christmas.

[@benny1459]

And we Canadians are in the middle ground. Best of each worlds ;)

[@Serai3]

Best of BOTH worlds.

[@JohnDoe-oh9wp]

Davvy Jannes Racist

[@Serai3]

Dude, what he said is the exact opposite of a racist.

[@Rattus-Norvegicus]

@@Serai3 that's the joke... r/woosh

[@lordofromuluslordofromulus8375]

Um.. nope. Canadians are not balanced towards Americans. It is way more British and European.... I mean way more tilted to it. You are as balanced as a damn elephant on one side of the scale and a feather on the other. You are no where near the middle ground.

[@just_kos99]

I'm an American who visited London, first time, in March 1996. My sister lived there with my young son, and she told me the ins and outs of socializing with Brits (put simply, don't). I was on a train heading toward the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, looking around, and the guy facing me on the other side of the aisle asked, "Are you American?" I was really surprised, after my sister said Brits don't strike up conversations, generally, on public transport. I admitted that I was, and how did he know? (I wasn't dressed all touristy). He said, "It's just that you're looking at EVERYTHING!" I laughed and told him I only had a week there, and I didn't want to miss a thing (I'm a complete Anglophile, so it was all fascinating). I told sis about the brief conversation and she was quite surprised too. Another time, on the Tube, a guy sat right next to me on the bench seat. Now, I HATE sitting with people, eg, on the bus (I used public transit cuz I don't drive). When he sat next to me, when there were many empty bench seats, I kinda glared at him. I told sis later what he did and asked her what he would've thought if I'd started small talk with him. She laughed and said, "See, to him, you didn't exist -- you were a non-entity." She said he would've been quite shocked if I'd talked to him; it'd be akin to a corpse suddenly coming alive and speaking. (Sorry so long, but as I said, complete Anglophile here).

[@Pitmaster4Lyfe]

I'm proud to be an American!! Hell yeah brotha!! 🇺🇲😎🍻

[@Nempopo029]

Anybody else notice that Simon said they closed down "all 3,300" stores of Teavana, where the article said that the closures "lost 3,300 jobs"?

[@lhoffmann6537]

Yeah. I mentioned it on Twitter. He said "I just checked and I miss read it, I added a zero on the end! Sorry about that ☹️"

[@confusedwhale]

I use the plastic bags as trash bags; so, that I don't have to buy any.

[@MadeleineHenderson]

I had quite a lot to adjust to moving from Australia to UK too, like not being paid extra if I worked overtime and how minuscule our flat was, the huge amount of people. It is very interesting that though we all use the same language there are differences too and when I am tired I will revert back to Aussie words like zucchini instead of courgette or pants v trousers lol

[@aitchpea6011]

If you're salaried (on a fixed annual income) you generally don't get paid overtime, but salaried positions pay quite a bit more than the staff who get an hourly rate. Hourly employees generally do get an overtime rate that is higher than their normal hourly rate (commonly time+1/3 for anything over 40 hours, time +1/2 for saturdays, double time for sundays, double time plus a lieu day for public holidays). It's the norm, but it isn't universal. Some companies don't pay above hourly for overtime, many subcontractors don't get an enhanced rate either.

[@shyrastacy3127]

Saying all Americans act like this is like saying all women act like the Kardashian/Jenner family. But I'd have loved any paid vacation, especially when I had my son. Instead of maturity leave... they just fired me without cause. Totally stupidly legal here.

[@Babarudra]

and yet, no one said that all Americans act like this.

[@shawnhensley4884]

5 weeks paid vacation and it's a law? I'm changing my name to Ian and packing my bags baby.

[@FlyToBeach]

I am in the wrong country. Stuck in usa

[@peg202xo7]

FlyToBeach I spent 16 days in London and didn't want to come back. One day visiting Canterbury I fantasized about splitting off from my tour group and just vanishing!

[@markfoster1520]

Peg, call out for Sanctuary!

[@scottmitchell358]

LEAVE ALREADY THEN

[@quanbrooklynkid7776]

@@scottmitchell358 W