British Couple Reacts to How American Christmas Was a Huge Culture Shock

British Couple Reacts to How American Christmas Was a Huge Culture Shock
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Original Video - • How American Christmas...
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[@paladin11C40]

Boxing Day sounds a lot like how we celebrate Christmas Eve. For me, I go to family members houses, we exchanges gifts, and have a huge dinner. Its like the Christmas before Christmas.

[@DMafia1984]

Yup! We the family give our gifts to the entire family from the immediate family on Chrismas EVE an on Chrismas DAY MOM & DAD give theirs to the kids

[@kmlammto]

@@DMafia1984 Agreed. This is not only how my germanic American family celebrated Christmas, but it is also how my Brazilian ex -wife and her friends did it too.

[@mayram4598]

Same for me too

[@Gutslinger]

Used to do that as a kid, minus the dinner, I think.. I was starting to wonder if it was even a common practice at all. Lol

[@nealparkinson6779]

Same

[@nanastan9]

I think Christmas Eve is more commonly used as the *bonus* holiday over here, to have dinner parties with friends, or visit family you won't see on Christmas Day. Many employers completely close on Christmas Eve, or close early, done by 1 or 2 o'clock (except retail - gotta be open to sell those last minute gifts!) The 26th is essentially just another day, (again except in retail - we call it the day of "many happy returns" as people bring back those gifts that didn't fit, or that they just didn't like, OR they go shopping to use the gift cards they got the day before.) You can find Christmas Crackers in a lot of the larger stores in their Christmas Decor areas, and my family has had them once or twice as a sort of "oh, aren't we cultured la-di-dah" novelty, but they're not in any way common. There are probably lots of people who have no idea what they are.🤷🏻‍♀️

[@hectorsmommy1717]

Unless you follow German traditions where Christmas Eve is THE holiday and Christmas Day is the afterthought. Family gathers, gifts are opened, lots of food is eaten, etc. The only Chrismas morning gifts are if Santa comes overnight but even then many families have St. Nicholas come on December 6 instead of Santa on December 25. We did not have St. Nick's day but did open gifts Christmas Eve.

[@benjamingordon441]

Christmas music is definitely huge here. It takes over the radio and can be heard in stores starting around the beginning of November.

[@googlename3859]

funny how pervasive it is considering so many people hate christmas music lol. it wouldn't be so bad if we could at least get through thanksgiving without it, but they start it as soon as halloween is over

[@drakke125Channel]

we have christmas products/trees/lights coming out all the way in Mid October I think.....arghhhh I think of christmas all year long but I don't put music in people's faces too early lol

[@anniebalsbaugh735]

Once a year I get to enjoy listening to songs of Jesus in public, so lovely

[@TacShooter]

It used to be that you didn't hear Xmas music until after Thanksgiving was over. There never would have been that massacre with that guy driving through an XMAS Parade BEFORE Thanksgiving back when I was a kid! If you have holidays overlapping and bleeding into each other, the day isn't very special, is it?

[@19ScottMcRae85]

I hate hearing Christmas music before Thanksgiving let us enjoy one holiday before moving onto the next.

[@Caseytify]

One American Christmas tradition is watching It's a wonderful Life, from 1947. The year before saw the release of Miracle on 34th Street. Those two films are the only Christmas films ever to have won an Oscar. They did a remake of Miracle on 34th Street in the early/mid-90s.

[@PastPositive]

Nah, that’s defiantly just your area lol. Similar in other area though, it depends on the family on which Christian movie is a tradition.

[@robrip2]

Growing up as a kid I always saw that Boxing day (Canada) on some calendars and just thought Canadians were really into the sport of boxing 🤣

[@skultat]

Same

[@spookym123]

I thought it had something to do with packaging.

[@brookeguenther4909]

LOL same! I thought Canadians and Brits must be obsessed with the sport 🤣. I ended up married to a Canadian and living in Canada and realized it's just a very nice day to leisurely get everything back in order around your home and to enjoy your gifts!

[@christypriest30]

Me too

[@UncleUncleRj]

Never heard of Boxing Day - but Christmas Eve is celebrated by MANY families almost as much as Christmas day itself. Happy New Year!

[@monicamattox72]

yeah "BOXING DAY" always kinda imagined here in TEXAS that like: "OMG they get so pissed off in the UK and ENGLAND that they beat up each other over crappy xmas gifts the day after" hahahah right? ya'll cheers via Dallas xx

[@Uncle_Flipp]

Christmas is huge in the US but you are right that the way we celebrate can vary from household to household and state to state. Cant wait to see yall react to Christmas lights!

[@steamedhams7396]

I moved from the east to the Midwest, and it might has well been a different country as far as Christmas was concerned.

[@judyhorstmann6332]

Many households have traditional ethnic meals on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. It celebrates their nationalities as well as passes down traditional food to the next generation. This also extends to Christmas customs and traditions. Many families don't celebrate an "Americanized" Christmas, but rather a traditional Christmas filled with customs and traditions from wherever they're from. It's awesome!

[@Telcomvic]

Yep, our traditions were a blend of US and Polish traditions.

[@joro4117]

Yes!! Being of Mexican descent, our family celebrates with ham and/or turkey as well as the traditional tamales and posole (a pork and hominy soup with lots of garlic). Heard of boxing day in the third grade, but forgot what it was. Both Christmas eve and the day after Christmas are taken off from work if we have available vacation days. Of course, the employer needs to keep a skeleton staff at the office.

[@hectorsmommy1717]

My ancestry is a total hodgepodge and all of my ancestors were already in Wisconsin by 1850 (many having spent generations in the eastern states like Pennsylvania and Connecticut) so we did not follow any Old World traditions except the German tradition of opening gifts on Christmas Eve. In many ways, we had the quintessential American Christmas: oyster stew on Christmas Eve, turkey or ham for Christmas dinner, decorated cutout cookies but no other special ones, church on Christmas Eve for the candlelight service, driving around after to see the lights, etc. Nothing directly related to an ethnic tradition (other that the one previously mentioned)

[@cobbler88]

Yes. The Jews have Chinese takeout and Japanese have KFC. 🤣

[@maegankrause6958]

Yeah for sure. I think it depends on the family. My family has a ridiculous mix of like 8-9 nationalities at this point so my Christmas is more Americanized. My husband however had a grandfather that passed down German traditions that they still do today! It was fun marrying into a family that celebrates Christmas differently!

[@SherriLyle80s]

The movie _A Christmas Story_ plays 24 hours during Christmas. It's my husband's favorite movie. A mix between a comedy and The Wonder Years.

[@jerseydevs2000]

"A Christmas Story" has definitely replaced the more dramatic 1940's classic "It's a Wonderful Life" as America's go-to Christmas movie. But I love watching both at this time of year.

[@daroof4ever]

And Home Alone!

[@MeanLaQueefa]

Christmas Vacation and A Christmas Story

[@MrJonnydanger]

Ironically filmed almost entirely in Canada

[@Tux.Penguin]

When I was very young, I first heard the term “Boxing Day” and thought it was a day to celebrate the sport of boxing (pugilism) in which men would pummel one another with their large red mittens. And I thought, how bizarre! A national holiday of fighting?

[@CaptainFrost32]

A national holiday of fighting? I first thought of St. Patrick's Day, but there you go... The part that was explained about Boxing Day to me was the reversal of roles as the head of household became the servant for the day performing the duties of an elevated minion.

[@BladeX11883]

I thought the same thing

[@cobbler88]

@@CaptainFrost32 I don't think the Irish would need a special holiday to fight. :)

[@monicamattox72]

yeah TOTALLY the bizzaro version of British English in their posh British accents going on about: "BOXING DAY" kind of imagined 19th or 18th century UK men getting into fistfights about "bloody hell MATE the sodding FRUITCAKE that was LAST year I'm gonna kick your arse" haahhaa :) right? omg lol

[@ntracefan]

We do not have “Boxing Day”, I had never heard that name . We do have tons of Christmas music. We have a very traditional Thanksgiving with turkey, ham, dressing, gravy, mashed potatoes, broccoli & rice casserole , sweet potato casserole, Watergate salad , bread, etc. . We have a very non traditional Christmas meal. One year it can be Bar B Que, one year homemade Mexican Food, one year a crab boil, one year a fish fry, etc.

[@Kim-427]

We don’t call it Boxing Day but my family does what she described. Because in my family most of us stay home and enjoy Christmas but the next day we go to another relatives house and get gifts that they have for you and eat leftover Christmas food,deserts and goodies. We just don’t call that Boxing Day. It doesn’t have a specific name we just look at it as still celebrating the holiday season. Lol

[@dayeti6794]

What is Watergate salad? I have never heard of it before.

[@emilywhitfield2780]

@@dayeti6794 it's made from pistachio pudding, pineapple, miniature marshmallows and Cool Whip!! Really good!!

[@SamM-gl9zc]

@@emilywhitfield2780 - There is also a version without the marshmallows and with cottage cheese and cherries. You might think cottage cheese? But it's good

[@emilywhitfield2780]

@@SamM-gl9zc I've made a Jello salad with dry Jello and cottage cheese it also has fruit, nuts and Cool Whip!! You can add marshmallows and cream cheese if you like!! It's delicious!!

[@anchorskid]

My family always celebrated Christmas early (how could a kid be expected to sleep??) on Christmas morning opening our gifts to the beautiful, but dim lights on the tree. It was magical. We passed out gifts one at a time so everyone could watch reactions, show appreciation, and ooh and aah over each gift. Then scrambled eggs with mushrooms, sausage, toast and jam or sweet rolls, Christmas cookies and orange juice for breakfast (much more elaborate than a normal breakfast in our house). A ham dinner around 1 or 2 p.m. and naps and time to play with new toys or spend some time in the snow during the afternoon. Wonderful day, wonderful memories.

[@Double0Kevin]

Most of us have heard of Boxing Day, but not many really know what it is. Also a lot of American’s get X-mas Eve off so we don’t work straight up to x-mas day. We do go back to work on the 26th (if we didn’t schedule vacation time off). And yes, no crackers.

[@jayjayjames2332]

You can find crackers. I see them now in stores like Marshall's, Target etc. but I'd bet 90% of Americans have no idea what you're talking about if you asked them what a Christmas Cracker was. I guess they're starting to pick up some steam if they're in stores but it's certainly not a American tradition as of now. I also don't know how long they've been around here. I feel like I've only noticed them in the last 5 years but I also only learned about them within that time. So maybe they were around before that and I just had no idea what they were so never paid any attention to it.

[@RamblingRose08]

@@jayjayjames2332 My family has bought Christmas Crackers at Target since the early 2000s. Don't know about the 90s.

[@elkins4406]

@@jayjayjames2332 This may sound ridiculous, but I honestly think that the Harry Potter phenomenon may have been responsible for bringing Christmas crackers to the US. I don't remember ever seeing them here before the HP books took off, but I first started spotting them (albeit still as quite a rarity) in stores sometime around the time that the 5th or 6th book in the series came out.

[@corinnepmorrison1854]

@@elkins4406 Nope!! We have known about Christmas Crackers for a very long time!! I am a lifelong fan of Charles Dickens...and his story, “A Christmas Carol”...is a staple of our family’s holiday celebration...and I used to read Clement Clarke Moore’s “A Visit From Saint Nicholas” ...to my children, every Christmas Eve... Those children are now 49 and 52 years old!!

[@elkins4406]

@@corinnepmorrison1854 But could you find them in stores? is the question. I knew about them long before HP as well, but I never saw them for sale in a US store until some time in the '00s.

[@molsongrrrl]

I did ham on Thanksgiving this year and will be making turkey for Christmas. I was in a mood! Christmas music is huge here. Many radio stations play 24/7 Christmas music starting in November! It's crazy.

[@briankirchhoefer]

Never heard of Christmas crackers but we do have Christmas cookies. They are shaped as Santa or Christmas trees or stars usually. White cookies either iced or with red or green sugar sprinkled.

[@JustMe-dc6ks]

I love Christmas cookies. The crackers they’re talking about are paper tubes that two people pull apart like a wishbone, making a cracking noise and releasing a small assortment of trinkets (Apparently a cheap gift, a paper crown to wear, and a corny joke they have to read aloud).

[@LancerX916]

My family does not celebrate boxing day. Until I had a British roommate I never even knew what it was. My family celebrates both Christmas eve and Christmas day. We get together on Christmas eve and have our dinner then (Ham) open all our presents except for the "Santa" presents. On Christmas morning the family came over for a Christmas breakfast and we opened our Santa presents. Done by noon and did our own thing the rest of the day.

[@Danny-Out-of-Doors]

Many of us much prefer older artists, like Bing Crosby, during the Christmas season.

[@jolins.9523]

Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, Andy Williams. It’s sad how many people I’ve met who only listen to the very modern stuff like Mariah Carey. The older artists are much better.

[@disgustedvet9528]

@Hawaii 4-0 Get a life .

[@jolins.9523]

@Hawaii 4-0 lol Of course nobody actually listens exclusively to Mariah Carey. There are a lot of people who only listen to modern pop Christmas like Mariah Carey even if they have heard the older stuff.

[@toodlescae]

I love the older artists but appreciate some of the newer artists especially what the A Capella/Vocal Bands like Home Free, Voiceplay and Pentatonix are putting out over the last few years.

[@twinkledink881]

I love Christmas music. I'm that weird person that could listen to it all year long. For me, Amy Grant's holiday offerings are glistening seasonal gems that adorn the airwaves quite beautifully.

[@tamiramos5873]

We do not recognize Boxing Day. We can't wait to relax - especially from shopping - and start to look forward to New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Ands yes, if the 26th falls on a weekday - we go back to work.

[@TacShooter]

When I was in Alaska during the 80s, there was a town there named "North Pole" with a giant colored statue of Santa Claus standing out front. They would print in the newspaper selections from the many letters children had sent Santa from all over the country (possibly the world?).

[@breezybest6064]

It's still the same now.

[@jessecardenas6971]

there was a news channel "Tracking santa claus"

[@cobbler88]

Out of college, I worked a couple dozen miles north of Santa Claus, Ind. I used to drive down there to mail my Christmas cards, just to get the postmark.

[@ChanceNP]

No Boxing Day celebrations in the USA. It does show up on some calendars though. I’m only familiar with it because of Canadian friends.

[@Peg__]

We call it December 26th. Most have to use a vacation day (paid or unpaid) to have that day off, unless Christmas lands on a weekend. (If you normally have weekends off.)

[@tammyparsons5656]

Americans have tons of Christmas music, it starts the day after Thanksgiving and never stops till new years. It's in every store, on the car radio, literally everywhere. And yes we have Michael Buble 🙂

[@glennallen239]

Christmas Carols are Popular in the United States. One of the Big Christmas Songs is Bing Crosbys I'll Be Home For Chrismas. Bing Crosby also had a big hit with I'm Dreaming Of A White Christmas. In Wilmington , NC. People will go in groups to sing and go Caroling and visit Nursing Homes Etc. Churches will have Christmas Cantatas were the Choirs sing Christmas Songs! My family and other Homes where I ate Thanksgiving and Christmas Dinners had both Turkey and Ham each time. Christmas Hams are Popular in the South. December 26 usually starts the return gifts at the stores. People will take gifts they don't want and either get the Money for it or swap it for something else. Sometimes people will regift and give that to someone else for another Christmas. Sports will be on Tv all day. on Christmas Day or December 26. It includes College Football, NFL, and Basketball and Hockey!

[@jamesdupont74]

She is funny and sweet at the end when she says she wants the 26th to be a day off for us. "Oooh that's so sad." We could definitely ease up on the negativity around using vacation days over here. I have worked 6-7 days a week for the last twenty years.

[@TheBeesleys99]

Millie is the biggest Christmas holiday fan I know!

[@jamesrichardson3322]

@@TheBeesleys99 We only celebrate Christmas on the 24th Christmas Eve, we exchange gifts and the 25th Christmas day we celebrate and exchange gifts. The next day back to work!! Unless it is a weekend.

[@ChromeOfTheFuture]

I’m Hispanic but the way my family celebrates Christmas is we get together on the Christmas Eve and wait till 12 am to open our gifts. Then we usually go out on Christmas Day. But I would say our “Boxing Day” would be Christmas Eve.

[@johnsaia9739]

The best thing is if you are split between both heritages as we have Christmas Eve with the feast of 7 fishes, one present each gets opened. Then Christmas Day and then Boxing Day with all the Christmas food and celebration. :)

[@loriolsen5785]

I think Boxing Day is like a second Christmas, where people exchange gifts with friends and others that they didn't see on Christmas day. In America, we tend to exchange gifts with people outside the home before Christmas as we see them, especially on Christmas Eve if we do a gathering. The day after Christmas, many people return to work, unless it falls on a regular day off for them. Kids are out for vacation, so many parents take vacation days during that time to be home with them. Driving around neighborhoods to see Christmas lights is a big tradition. Some neighborhoods go all out to make fantastic displays. Christmas in America is more like a season, not just a day or two. After Thanksgiving, we kick into Christmas themed music, movies, decorations, clothing, and food, so by the time Dec 26th rolls around, we've celebrated for about a month! We love it though!

[@yamihoole]

Dec 26 is mainly just another day for most, unless, like Laurence said, you were lucky enough to be able to take time off. Usually if I have Dec 26 off, it's because i took a vacation day. Christmas traditions in America can vary a lot from region to region, culture to culture, and even family to family.

[@marydoughty30]

In Louisiana, alot of homes have Gumbo for Christmas Eve and Turkey and Dressing for Christmas Day. Ive even had Oyster Dressing on Christmas Day. It is good.

[@specialfamilyconnect]

Lawrence's cat's tail is like a shark circling him... LOL American's love Michael Buble. I live in California - Our family does Candied Ham or Prime Rib Lemon Meringue and Pecan Pie are on the table. We sing carols and remember those who are not with us anymore. Laughter, fun, Jesus's birth and remembering Him. Boxing Day??? No Boxing Day here Christmas lasts until after January 1 New Years, for us. The movie "A Christmas Story" is on in the background...

[@Alex-kd5xc]

I absolutely cannot stand Buble’s Christmas songs lol

[@specialfamilyconnect]

@@Alex-kd5xc ok. We all have the things we like and dislike. Have a great day!

[@cpMetis]

Boxing Day is something Americans know about because they heard a Canadian or British person mention it once several years ago but they never bothered to ask what it was. I assumed it was some market thing like Black Friday.

[@johnsaia9739]

In Virginia it is a non government holiday of sorts, and many Churches here call it Boxing Day and recognize it.

[@cobbler88]

Historically it's a day in which you give gifts to your servants, staff and the poor. No real wonder why it didn't catch on in a country with no real tradition of house staff where we give to charity year-round and do things like Toys for Tots on our own.

[@jessedaniel6330]

i had never heard of Christmas crackers or boxing day until i started watching these videos , Christmas ends on Christmas

[@breezybest6064]

I've never heard of Michael Buble, nor have I ever heard Mariah Carey or Kelly Clarkson sing Christmas songs. Americans listen to Bing Crosby, Brenda Lee, Bobby Helms, Gene Autry, Nat King Cole, Perry Como, Frank Sinatra etc. more than newer singers. Not saying newer singers aren't ever listened to, but we tend to connote the warm feelings of Christmas to songs sung by singers from long ago. The nostalgia I guess (even though most of us weren't born for a good couple generations after them). I have no idea what boxing day is. I've never seen a Christmas cracker but I have heard of them and they sound fun. Our family always has cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning (a breakfast casserole would also probably be on the menu) and we have tacos for Christmas dinner because we all love tacos hahaha!

[@benjamingordon441]

We don’t have Boxing Day in the US, but it’s big in Canada. We have sports matches on Christmas Day, the NBA in particular will have a large slate of games on the 25th.

[@TheBeesleys99]

Yeah sports on Christmas day seems to strange to me aha

[@dustinwagner1776]

There are also 2 NFL games on Christmas 🎄 this year.

[@jennifermathias35]

I recently discovered you guys and have watched so many of your videos....I love you guys. You guys seem so wholesome and pure I love seeing the differences and similarities between us here in USA and you guys in the UK!!! Well done!!

[@jackpot848]

When I grew up my family always did oysters on Christmas Eve, then ham and turkey on Christmas day. Even now, I am looking forward to the oysters this year! Also, I'd never heard of Boxing Day til late in life and even after I heard the term I had no idea what it meant. I do now, thanks Google.

[@CaptainFrost32]

I only knew of Boxing Day as a tradition in Canada carried over from Britain.

[@HBC423]

Never heard of eating oysters around Christmas, and I'm American

[@lynnhoffmann247]

My family has had oyster stuffing since I was little! Taught the recipe to my brothers last Christmas. So good!

[@hectorsmommy1717]

@Vance Hicks Let me guess, you (or at least your family like parents or grandparents) are from the midwest or plains states? Oysters are traditional in the middle of the country for Christmas Eve. Why? Back in the days before refrigeration and fast transport, oysters could only be shipped by trains in the cold weather, otherwise they would go bad fast. It was a luxury food in the winter only. Luxury food + winter holiday = Christmas tradition. My family are multi generational Wisconsinites and we had oyster stew on Christmas Eve.

[@hectorsmommy1717]

@@HBC423 More traditional in the midwest because it was the only time of the year oysters were available.

[@colleenr871]

Christmas Crackers I only learned about because of my Canadian husband! They aren't available in our stores either. I usually have to search on Amazon and pick some out I can get shipped to me. We get them now every year, I love them. Boxing day I also learned from him and at least in Canada it's known for big sales and it reminds me of US Black Friday.

[@papamaniac2410]

My family has a tradition of getting pizza for Christmas Eve. All the cooking will be done for Christmas dinner. Makes it easier on the cooks. Delivery is a great thing.

[@bossmodl3thalpoppa484]

So the hell with the people and their familys at the pizza place. Wow

[@gaiawatcher]

Just chiming in (late) that 'm 57 years old, have lived all over the US... in New York, Seattle, Chicago, Florida and Pennsylvania. I've traveled to about 40 states, raised 5 children, have 6 grandchildren.... and I've never heard of "Boxing Day" or "Christmas Crackers" until watching this video. I really enjoy learning about the UK from watching your channel though. You're both so adorable! 💗

[@Danny-Out-of-Doors]

We usually have ham, rather than turkey, for Christmas.

[@corvus1374]

We usually had prime rib roast.

[@Imissnormal]

I have 4 Christmases each year and it is typically half ham and half turkey. Depends on how many people will usually show up.

[@rons3634]

I was curious if you'd heard the Christmas song Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer, since her jaw dropped when Laurence said it but you didn't get back to it. :(

[@brianbarcus5853]

He didn't talk much about the insane Christmas lights on practically every house in the U.S. It's like every block is competing to see who can outdo each other to be The Christmas Lights King of the neighborhood. There are actually people that have such awesome displays that the whole road for miles is jammed up and police have to direct traffic to keep it moving at a snail's pace. Some churches and businesses even do it and take donations - some charge $5 or $10 bucks to pay for power and invest in a bigger display next year. You MUST do a video about the crazy Christmas lights in America! I love your channel and hit like for every video! I like the ones that include Millie the best! Peace and Merry Christmas from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania! - "The Steel City" that built America.

[@corinnepmorrison1854]

Merry Christmas from a mountaintop in Wyoming!! 🙏🏻❤️🎅🏼❤️🎄❤️🤶🏻❤️🙏🏻

[@rinab4405]

Merry Christmas from the woods in Texas!!!🎄🎄⛄⛄🎅🎅🤶🤶

[@corinnepmorrison1854]

@@rinab4405 Merry Christmas, Rina!! ❤️🎄❤️

[@marylousaunders3069]

Merry Christmas from another “Yinzer” from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania! 🎄🎄

[@funo6581]

Merry Christmas from Mountain Green, Utah

[@SPFW21]

We don't have boxing day. US calendars do sometimes include Canadian holidays so we will occasionally see December 26th with "Boxing Day (Canada)" written in it.

[@gegahex]

Im pretty sure most americans have never even heard of boxing day. december 26th is the same as December 1st-23rd

[@grahamsmith9541]

In the UK Boxing day is a Bank (public) holiday. Most places and public transport shut down early Christians eve. There is no public transport apart from a very limited service to airports. On Christmas day and Boxing day. Then reduced service untill after the 1st January Bank holiday, 2nd January in Scotland. It is illegal for large shops to open on Christmas day Easter Sunday and for more than 6 hours on other Sundays. It used to be traditional for shops to start sales on Boxing day. That is dying out with many supermarkets and shops choosing to close on Boxing Day as well now. Most businesses will close down or run with a skeleton staff between Christmas and the New year. With workers having to use holiday for the days between the Bank holidays. Having to use holiday days for us is not a problem as we get a minimum of 28 paid days holiday by law. Proportionally for part time employees and people in the gig economy like Uber drivers. So for most of us the Christmas break lasts for 8 and a bit days.

[@laura8512]

@@grahamsmith9541 thank you for explaining that because I had no idea how all of that works. So interesting.

[@coyotelong4349]

Christmas Eve is often treated by Americans the way they describe Boxing Day, albeit unofficially so Christmas Eve was always a big deal in my family growing up, and many businesses choose to close or limit hours on Xmas Eve

[@anizzutz1107]

Nothing beats a Christmas ham... and ham gravy made properly is absolutely divine.

[@pushpak]

Canada has Boxing Day. Usually, the 26th is return or exchange the gifts day. Also, traditionally, the NBA has a game on Christmas day. Sometimes a college bowl game might pop up.

[@LisaMarshall0]

Christmas in America starts the day after Halloween when many radio stations switch over to non-stop Christmas music. Michael Buble' is the most popular imo. We do not have boxing day but instead we could probably call it "Return Day" because many people return gifts and shop for after Christmas sales. Most people gather with family the day before Christmas (Christmas Eve). Some companies have started including Christmas Eve as a paid Holiday-along with New Year's Eve. Merry Christmas!

[@howardmoses2604]

Watch National Lampoon's Christmas, that's soooooo American Christmas. Love your vids. Keep up the great work:) Merry Christmas

[@deannharris2424]

Everything starts shutting down around 2 pm on Christmas Eve. Our airports and highways are totally congested. Everyone is trying to make it home because we start the celebration on Christmas Eve. Everything is closed on Christmas Day. There’s so much to do, besides catching up with family, there’s so much food, desserts, eggnog, hot chocolate, games, watching Christmas Story, and there’s football. It’s the best.

[@robertdysonn]

I’m definitely not the most cultured American but I have never even heard of boxing day. Most Americans work right up to Christmas and start right back the day after so you’re fortunate with that. I was very lucky and for 20 years worked for an employer that gave us two weeks off for Christmas but I was extremely lucky with that benefit.

[@JanaFarman]

I'm in Southern California. We duplicate Thanksgiving dinner for Christmas dinner. We usually don't have dessert, too full :) We don't have Boxing Day in the US. The 26th is shopping day!!!!! Return the stuff you don't want and shop sales! Pretty much Christmas ends on the 25th here. We have lots of Christmas music and yes also listen to Buble. We call Santa, Santa and he lives in the N Pole. We also put out reindeer food (dry oatmeal with glitter), cookies and milk for Santa for when he comes down the chimney. Some people put lights on their house. During December, kids can go see Santa and tell them what they want and to have a photo taken. Merry Christmas!

[@AngelA-qi1br]

Of course we have Christmas music, especially the singers you mentioned, since most of those singers are American.

[@starofdabloc]

😂😂😂

[@benrast1755]

I learned what Boxing Day was from TV...it's not something we have here. When we need to stretch Christmas celebrations over two days, we do it on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. For many, the 26th is back to work. For others, it's a chance to exchange Christmas gifts at the store. And many DO take the day off work, but it's not a holiday. Also, no Christmas crackers here. And the first time I tried a British Christmas pudding was last year when I went to our local international market and I found some in the British food section.

[@billpickard7848]

No boxing day in America unless the day falls on the weekend. Feliz Navidad is spanish and is a loose translation of Happy Christmas

[@triciaw8953]

One of my family’s traditional Christmas dishes is oyster stuffing. It’s a regular bread-based stuffing that also has oyster pieces in it. So delicious! Typically, mom would stuff a goose or a duck with the dressing. We also occasionally had Christmas rabbit as our main course.

[@justjasyn292]

Alot of us know what Boxing Day is, on our calendar (like the person said below) it's labeled as a Canadian Holiday. It's not celebrated here, my boyfriend works Christmas Eve until 11PM, off Christmas Day, then back to work at 7AM on the 26th. Work clothes definitely differs from job to job. Christmas music is everywhere most city parks decorate with lights and will let the public do tribute trees they can decorate and the park plays loud Christmas music 24 hours a day.

[@grahamsmith9541]

Very different in the UK. Many of us get at least 8 1/2 days off. It is illegal for shops to open Christmas day and many are now choosing to stay closed Boxing Day as well. It is also illegal for shops to open on Easter Sunday and for more than 6 hours on other Sundays. Everything non essential closes early Christmas Eve. Then many companies stay shut down untill after the New year Bank Holiday. With workers using a few days holiday for the working days. We get minimum 28 days paid holiday by law. Also applies proportionally to part time workers and people in the gig economy like Uber drivers. So using 2 or 3 for the Christmas/ new year shutdown is not a big issue. Public transport shuts down for Christmas and Boxing days. Then a reduced service untill after the New year Bank holiday. When everyone goes back to work.

[@ajrocks44]

Many of us have Ham at Christmas because we just had turkey at Thanksgiving a month earlier.

[@SherriLyle80s]

The 26th is just another day for us. We never had servants to celebrate Boxing Day with 😂

[@TheBeesleys99]

I never actually new the origin of it until I searched after this comment

[@Bedtimestoryes]

oh wow that's what that is? Let me go on a video history binge, thanks lol

[@sh.....]

What you are describing is what most people I know do on Christmas eve. We spend the day with our extended families. We draw names the year before to see who we will buy a gift for the next year, or some people play a game called White Elephant. Then we spend Christmas day with our immediate family. And Christmas parties with friends and/or coworkers are held in the weeks before Christmas.

[@lindacox5532]

I absolutely love your channel..we celebrate Christmas in the USA pretty big it is like one of the biggest holidays for family and Jesus Christ..we dont have a boxing day..and the oyster thing people like to make oyster stuffing in turkeys..I would love to visit Britain..i would love to see your country's ways that are different than ours..great stuff you show on your channel..to think I stumbled across it ..keep up the great stuff

[@asiawhite4144]

Boxing Day is used where I live but it was a day before Christmas where you box and wrap presents. It could also be used when talking about a boxing match for example “today’s Boxing Day are you going to watch?” Never used it for December 26th.

[@jeffburdick869]

8:00 I think the majority of Americans probably don't know what Boxing Day is. It shows up on our calendars as a Canadian Holiday, so I guess they must celebrate it in the Great White North. To me, Boxing Day is a day to eat leftovers and watch 5 Premier League matches in a row.

[@kyleg334]

It's a holiday but it's not that important. As a Canadian boxing day is more about a shopping day.

[@ajruther67]

Mille, yes Christmas is just over the day after Christmas. In my family, we even took down the tree and decorations the day after Christmas. By the 27th, you can't even tell it was Christmas in our house.

[@jjfarnsdad]

No Boxing Day here but I wish there was! We just have Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Edit: my wife is really into Christmas music so we listen to it all month long. We do hear a lot of Michael Buble and Mariah Carey as well as all of the classic songs.

[@christophergreen1785]

Christmas is a great day for our family. Tons of pasta and prime rib. Nothing beats that !!

[@Instantphojo]

Depending where you live and who you’re with. But my family serves tamales and ham and all the trimmings. feliz navidad!!!!

[@KD-wi1zl]

The Christmas season for shoppers begins right after Halloween but then it explodes the Friday after Thanksgiving with stores opening up at 10:00 PM Thanksgiving evening remaining open all night. Television networks begin showing Christmas movies Thanksgiving evening. Some radio stations start playing all Christmas music that weekend too, switching back to regular music anytime after Dec, 26. Some stations stop playing Christmas songs New Years.

[@Z_TPI]

Being Italian in Canada, we always do Lasagna and fried veal cutlets on Christmas. And we celebrate Christmas Eve, whereas boxing day is known for the shopping deals, and visiting any family we haven't seen yet. We don't celebrate it like the way you explain it. It is a stat Holiday in Canada.

[@robertsterner2145]

Dumb question maybe but the Italian Americans I've known have always done the feast of the seven fishes on xmas eve. Is that something common among Italian Canadians, also, or an invention of Italian communities in the US?

[@Z_TPI]

@@robertsterner2145 Roman Catholics have certain holidays that we aren't allowed to eat meat on(fish is permitted though). Christmas Eve was one of those days, until the pope changed it in the 60s(I think). But, Italians (and I'm sure others have) continued with this fish only tradition till this day, my family included. I've actually never heard of the name "the feast of the seven fishes". Looked it up, and it's something that Southern Italian immigrants introduced in New York's little Italy in the 1800s. No difference really in what we do compared to them. Big family get together on Christmas Eve, big dinner with no meat, except fish. The only difference is they prepare 7 different fish dishes. I find kind of cool actually. My family always had the same thing every year haha pasta with tuna sauce, baccala(type of fish/cod usually) in sauce, and Italian style salad. It got boring over the years 🤣

[@Bob-jm8kl]

We always spent Christmas Day at home with our family and usually has an early roast dinner. We spent Christmas Eve with my mom's extended family. She's one of nine, and I have about 30 cousins on her side, so there are a lot of people, especially as cousins started to marry and have kids. The food wasn't typical of America. Yes, there were a ton of homemade Christmas cookies, but also julekaka and krumkaka. There was lox and pickled herring, cheese, and water crackers. Vegetable trays, Swedish meatballs, sausage, and tiny boiled potatoes and peas...and a bunch of other things...even lutefisk with cream sauce. Oh, and alcohol...lots of that...even glog.

[@terriecooperman7232]

Christmas music start on Thanksgiving day on radios

[@EmfasizE]

The christmas lights at the Houston Texas Zoo are always great. We take our children to them every year!

[@herrzimm]

Traditionally: The USA tends to have more focus on Christmas Eve (24th) and Christmas Day (25th) more than Boxing Day (26th). Meaning that the visiting of friends/"other family" tend to happen the day/night BEFORE Christmas with "immediate family" (mostly parents/grandparents/kids) on Christmas Day, with the 26th being more or less "go back to regular daily grind of work". SCHOOLS on the other hand, tend to have 2-4 weeks off depending on where you are, and may have no classes until AFTER the New Year holidays are over. Crackers are NOT an American tradition. There are SOME places that have them, but they aren't really what you would call "popular" or "traditional" in America. The reason for Ham instead of Turkey, is due to 1) Turkey being more associated with Thanksgiving and 2) The vast numbers of pigs for Americans to enjoy hams and bacon basically year-round. And it will also depend on what region you are in that will have more influence on what TYPE of ham you will have. Be it basic spiral-cut, center-cut, honey-glazed ham, generic ham (or cheaper 'canned ham'), or specialized hams with different spices or glazes like maple instead of honey or brown-sugar glazed or grilled ham instead of baked ham. (Again, it depends more or less on the REGION of the USA you are that will influence the type of ham you have more than anything else.)

[@OurAuntie]

Christmas music is big in the US. Buble, Maria Carey, etc. are all well known here. I love that his cat keeps walking back and forth in front of him. I have no idea what a “Christmas Cracker” is. Where I live, our Botanical Gardens decorates the entire length of it with Christmas lights.

[@Timmycoo]

The areas I have lived in the last ~5 or so years on the PNW of America, Boxing Day is starting to be a thing (primarily for retail sales - not dissimilar to Black Friday) but it's notorious as the day people return gifts. As someone who worked in retail as a kid growing up, oh man the amount of returns/exchanges I had to do were insane.

[@kingatgota6428]

my mom was a teacher and my dad just took the day off so we were able to hang out with extended family

[@concernedcitizen1]

Lol. I have heard the term Christmas crackers before, and just assumed it was some type of special cracker eaten around Christmas time. It wasn't until this video that I now realize it's some kind of popper like we might use for New Year's Eve. No, we don't have or celebrate Boxing day. The only reason some of us have even heard the name is because some calendars recently started to include it and list it as a Canadian holiday. Turkey or ham (and yes, it's different from gammon. Gammon is raw and ham is cooked so it can be eaten without cooking.) Most opt for ham or something different because we just had Turkey for Thanksgiving. My father was an avid sportsman, so traditionally we always had a Canadian Goose that he had shot for Christmas, and had either Turkey or ham for Thanksgiving.

[@nahnotsomuch2292]

While I was growing up, Christmas Eve was always spent with my dads family. Huge get together. Christmas morning was just our little family. My mom, dad and I. Then we usually went to my mothers side for the rest of Christmas day. But, no. Nothing like Boxing Day. I think the Canadians do that though. And yeah, we always had a Christmas ham. The best Christmas music in my head was the stuff I'd heard as a kid. The super old school stuff like Bing Crosby singing White Christmas. Burl Ives doing A Holly Jolly Christmas & Rudolf The Red Nosed Reindeer, Nat King Cole, etc. Was all recorded before I was born, but still my best Christmas memories have those songs in the background.

[@Steve_Stowers]

I've heard of "Boxing Day" but it's always sounded weird and foreign. Boxing seems like such a violent way to spend the day after Christmas.

[@wesleybush8646]

First heard the term, Boxing Day, in the show MASH. The character Charles Winchester III explained it to the other members of his unit. He came from a wealthy family in Boston Massachusetts in the Beacon Hill district, so he may have been more familiar with English/British traditions, directly tracing his family back to English ancestors.

[@isaaczaragoza4198]

Boxing day is non existent in America culturally. I mean we know about it but Up until this video I always was told its just a Canadian thing.

[@JustMe-dc6ks]

This. Though oddly enough we do most of what they describe as Boxing Day activities. It’s just considered part of Christmas though.

[@cobbler88]

@@JustMe-dc6ks Yes. But the history of Boxing Day explains why we don't have it here. We don't really have a long, rich history of keeping servants who we then bestow gifts upon on Christmas. And we give to charity year-round here, but still do in a way give gifts to the "poor."

[@janetyoung6097]

A large number of our Christmas music is also has music like Bing Crosby's White Christmas, Andy Williams's It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year and other Traditional Christmas combined with the modern artists.

[@wren9463]

Being an american kid, I thought Boxing Day was the day everyone in England went to the boxing ring😂

[@Allaiya.]

Yes, I like Michael Buble. My friend in high school really loved him. And that was like 15 years ago. Usually, my family does gift exchanges on Christmas Eve and then immediate family is Christmas Day.

[@cpMetis]

And don't forget Christmas movies!!!!!! It's a Wonderful Life, Christmas Vacation, Home Alone, and Diehard are all Christmas requirements!

[@CaptainFrost32]

Welcome to the party, pal!

[@theresaakin2284]

My mother used to make oyster dressing for the holidays and it was often used as appetizers.

[@Ed9870]

Boxing Day has a different name over here: we call it December 26th.

[@NATTURALIE]

We have many cultures so it’s celebrated in different ways. My kids get to celebrate Noche Buena which is a spanish celebration on Christmas Eve. And they get to open gifts with their cousins at midnight-it’s amazing! Then they have Christmas Day but we don’t have Boxing Day.

[@Realbeardedgamerdad]

We don’t not acknowledge Boxing Day as far as I know.

[@joseph96345]

Oysters (and other things) became poplar fair in the winter because a long time ago (before refrigerated transport) it was the time of the year a lot of items could be transported any kind of distance. Therefore it became a "treat" during that time of the year.

[@jasonlathrop2756]

Would love to see you two introduce us to a typical Christmas in the UK ❤️

[@jenniferdelcambre7942]

We do basically tons of appetizers on Christmas Eve....Natchitoches meat pies, cheese fries, mozzarella cheese sticks, dips, chips, wings...the list goes on and on. Then we go on a hay ride (sometimes, only if it is cold). We all open one gift that night and it is always new pj's. Christmas day is the normal feast like we do on Thanksgiving...turkey and ham for us along with cornbread dressing. Although I live in cajun country so most here do rice dressing.

[@solace6700]

The UK is a menace! Who woulda thought there was a day where UK families got together and box each other! Millie you best KO bees this year 💪🥊

[@grahamsmith9541]

Nothing like a nice bit of boxing, to work off all the food and drink consumed Christmas day. Gets us ready to eat and drink all the left overs.

[@CaptainFrost32]

Feh, it is actually a day to recover all the gift boxes and find out which won the cat has fallen asleep in. Am I right? :)

[@JustMe-dc6ks]

Especially the way he tried to bait her into singing Feliz Navidad as if ‘the one with feliz navidad in the lyrics’ isn’t enough of a clue. ;-)

[@tammymackinnon6620]

I’m from Canada and just found your channel. I never knew Americans did not do Boxing Day! Lol Love your channel ❤️

[@AngelA-qi1br]

No Boxing Day, no Christmas crackers and no gamon (we would call it ham) in the USA. Honestly, unless you grew up with it, I hardly think it's a national tragedy we don't pull those Christmas crackers and get a very small toy and a paper crown to wear.

[@denvergray8943]

My family usually spends Christmas Eve and Christmas Day together, typically with someone watching football, someone watching basketball, people playing outside, and people cooking all at the same time. As for Boxing Day(I guess), it's primarily considered an extremely busy but otherwise normal workday while Christmas Eve tends to get more preference for early closure and time off. Generally speaking, if you don't or can't schedule the 26th for a vacation day, you're going to work, especially in retail. No crackers, not many puddings, but a lot of ham, sweet potatoes, and an incredibly consistent flood of Christmas music and decorations.

[@davidjack7418]

Don't feel too bad about the whole idea of returning to work immediately on Dec 26th. Christmas Eve is often a day people get off work, and many families have special traditions they reserve for Christmas Eve that they don't do on Christmas Day. For example, in my family Christmas Eve is a cozy evening spent with immediate family, usually chatting or watching a movie. Christmas Day we spend with the larger family in the area (uncles, aunts, cousins, etc) and exchange gifts. Though some Americans do have to immediately return to normal life on Dec 26, it's also not uncommon for people (especially office workers) to take vacation or even have their business closed entirely from Christmas Eve until after New Year's Day. The entire period from Dec 24-Jan 1 can sometimes feel like something of a joke at work. No one wants to be there, there isn't much work to do anyway. Since New Year's Eve and Day are also pretty important in the US the whole holiday feeling is just sort of extended for this period. Of course, people that fulfill essential jobs like first responders, or people that have more manual labor or low wage jobs might not see any of this (not to disparage those that work in these fields at all).

[@bobdicecco4511]

We give gifts on Christmas Eve with friends and have party. On Christmas we enjoy family food drink give gifts to each other. Yes the day after some of us go back to work

[@linseypollack2309]

Christmas eve is slowly becoming more of an unofficial holiday and seems to serve the same purpose of Boxing Day. Did the Santa from the 1930's Coca-Cola ads have as much influence there?

[@521cjb]

The stores start pushing Christmas even before Halloween is properly over, and most people get time off work in the week leading up to the day - by December 26 many are all Christmassed-out and are ready for a breather before New Years. Often it's a relief when all the holidays are over, and going back to normal feels relaxing.

[@douglasostrander5072]

Love your sweater.

[@papatomthune4924]

Here in Iowa where I've lived almost my whole life, we've heard of "Boxing Day" but since we've never celebrated it, I still know very little about it and I'm 79 years old. Many work places not associated with federal, state, local government or service organizations have a winter break from December24th through the first Monday in January. Have yourselves a Merry Christmas and very Happy New Year❗👌