1. Christmas in the bathroom and going to “No. 100”
The original meaning of the word toilet is a place to wash hands or face, but its actual meaning is the toilet. British people do not say “go to the toilet” directly when going to the toilet, nor do they directly mention the word “toilet” when reminding others. If you want to go to the toilet, you can say “Man’s Room” or “LadysRoom”, or you can say “Please forgive me for a few minutes” or “I want to wash my hands” and so on. “No. 100” is the most common expression among friends and within the family.
2. Clothing
The British are more particular about dressing, so they still wear suits and ties when visiting, attending banquets, and parties. In summer, you can not wear a suit, but you must also wear a tie when wearing a short-sleeved shirt. It is worth mentioning that they are very taboo about striped ties, because striped ties may be considered imitations of military or student school uniform ties.
3. You can’t ask a woman’s age
The British are very reluctant to talk about men’s wages and women’s ages, and even how much the furniture in the house is worth. It is not appropriate to ask. If you ask a woman’s age, it’s also very inappropriate, because he thinks it’s his secret, and everyone wants to stay young forever. There is no better compliment than saying “you look so young” to a middle-aged woman.
4. Gifting
In the UK, it is best to give lighter gifts. Since the cost is not much, it will not be considered a bribe. The British also like most other Europeans, like high-end chocolate, wine and flowers. Most of them do not appreciate gifts with company logos.
5. Don’t cut in line
The British have no habit of cutting in line. Classmates can see them queuing up one by one to get on the bus, train or buy a newspaper. It is a disgraceful act to cut in line in their minds.
Christmas in the UK?
Every year on December 25th, it is the day when Westerners celebrate Christmas, the birthday of Jesus Christ, and it is a legal holiday in the UK. Therefore, all shops and transportation will be closed and suspended on this day (except for some taxi companies and convenience stores operated by non-Christians).
BoxingDay
The second day of Christmas is December 26, which is a unique “discount day” in the UK, called “BoxingDay”, similar to “BlackFriday” in the United States. On this day, all stores will open, and it is also the most discounted day of the year. Many stores will open at 5 or 6 in the morning, and shoppers will run into the door to grab whatever they can.
Since it is a Christmas tradition unique to the UK, December 26 is also a legal holiday in the UK, but the stores are naturally open to welcome customers.
Christmas Markets
During Christmas, various Christmas markets will be set up all over the UK, many of which are called “GermanChristmasMarket” and are the most suitable places to buy Christmas gadgets and souvenirs. The reason why it is called “German Christmas Market” is because the popular Christmas market in the UK originated in Germany, so the name has been continued.
