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Welcome to the land of the weird and the beautiful—the ancient sceptred isles, where people drink their beer by the pints, celebrate mysterious Bank Holidays that occur several times a year, and toss their trash out the first time they see a bin. Bins are holy there and the chance to do so comes very rarely, if ever.

But according to Jessica Rose, an American who’s been living in great Blighty for the past few decades, the list doesn’t end there.

Recently, Jessica listed all the “weird as hell things” Brits do in a thread that amassed 64.8K likes and went viral with people praising how spot-on it is. Let’s get ready for the quaint and quirky ride in the land of Britons.

Image credits: F7wiki

Image credits: jesslynnrose

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    Bored Panda reached out to the author of this viral thread, Jessica Rose, a woman in her 30s who works in the technology industry. After 10 years, Jessica still lives in Birmingham, UK and says that she really likes most things about life in the UK.

    When asked what British things Jessica really likes, she said that as an American, she finds the National Health Service “mind-bogglingly amazing.”

    “I also really love the public transport here. And almost everything about Birmingham. Am I allowed to mention it's the best city in the UK? I don't think there's much I dislike about living here, some things are just still weird after 10 years.”

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    cybermerlin2000
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's called courtesy. No harm in being polite, and it brightens the drivers day to know he is appreciated. Happy drivers are less likely to hit the curb

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    But that doesn’t mean that Jessica doesn’t miss the American way of living. “It seems like a silly thing to miss, but as my days get really busy, I miss shops being open as late as they are in the states,” she told us.

    Jessica also believes that “a lot of the misconceptions of and stereotypes about the British mistakenly group all of the UK into a homogeneous lump while the UK is really a massively diverse group of people across our 4 countries (N. Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England).”

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    Gëë Bëë
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Yeah many beaches in the north are mostly pebbles and yes......you will be mugged by seagulls for your watch, keys, wallet and finally your chips and there is nothing you can do about it and nobody can help.

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    This is the case with the famous English breakfast. “For example, people from outside the UK often think of the English breakfast as something singularly British, while overlooking the (far superior) Scottish fryups,” Jessica said.

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    Andy Mutch
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Please, oh please, cure us of that one! (Not that you're much good at picking rulers,)

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    Martha Meyer
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The difference is in the smell and sticking to your shoes intensity. Dpg poop is extremely disgusting. Horse poop not so much.

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    cybermerlin2000
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    We go to the counter and let them know what is wrong. We very rarely have to ask for it to be corrected as the person behind the counter usually offers to fix it and offer options.

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    Jessica didn't expect her Twitter thread to go as viral as it did. “I half hoped a few people would see it as I was quite proud of the phrase 'sugared houseplants.' I hope folks liked it!”

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    Daniel Marsh
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "After you." "No, after you." "No, dammit, I SAID AFTER YOU." "Look you little f***face, I said after you!!!"

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    T Simmons
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The hot water supply comes from a tank in the loft, which could be contaminated. It was UK law to keep hot and cold separate to keep drinking water (cold) clean. now its just tradition.

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    Sarcastic Panda
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    the old-fashioned SWEET shops have some of the best sweets out there, tbh

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    Periwinkle
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Actually, This is an irish thing, Also a British thing but we will slam dunk you if you don't complete your round in ireland.

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    Samantha Comerford
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Classical music played by classically trained musicians. Outdoor , elegance at its finest

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    Gëë Bëë
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It was actually introduced during the war when water could be cut off or there were many shortages. Filling up a bowl uses half the amount of your sink. People just carried on using them as saving water is always a good idea. Remember our tap water is our drinking water too.

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    James016
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    There are two types of people, those who put the milk in tea last and those who are wrong ;)

    JennyLaRue
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I can't suppress the britishness within me that needs to highlight that Scones aren't a breakfast food. (I'm indifferent to the order of cream and jam, but when in Devon or Cornwall I'll just go with the local preference to avoid starting a riot)

    cybermerlin2000
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    When you make tea you first fill the teapot with hot water to warm the pot. This is not for drinking. Boil the water. When it is boiled the teapot should be thoroughly warmed. Empty the teapot and put in 2 moderately heaped tablespoons of tea leaves and then the boiling water and give it a stir. Place the lid on and cover with either a tea cosy or if you don't have one wrap it in a tea towel. Wait 5 minutes then, using a tea strainer, pour the tea into a cup and then add a dash of milk. Sugar/sweetener is added by the person the tea was made for to their own preference.

    Chris Lee
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I was once invited to have tea made by my Arab friend. I was convinced he couldn't make tea properly and he wanted to show me he could. Up to the 5 minutes wait, He followed the above procedure to the letter. I was most impressed and admitted I had done him an injustice. We waited 5 mins, he produced a cup and a strainer and removed the tea cosy. "Do you want milk in your tea? he asked. I said I did. He then took the top off the teapot and poured milk into it! So near and yet so far!

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    Cactus Mother
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Never put the milk in tea first. The tea just doesn’t tea right.

    Suzanne Haigh
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I do not like any hot drink that the milk is added last, just a matter of taste

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    Cara Kelly
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Crazy bastard British arguing about tea and scones instead of the right to walk into a supermarket with an assault rifle

    Becca Gizmo the Squirrel
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I was just thinking how the "Americans do this" and "brits do this" have a completely different feel too them.

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    T Simmons
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Water must be boiling to brew a good tea. Adding milk first cools that water and MAKES S**T TEA.

    Liam Walsh
    Community Member
    3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Nearly. Must be just under boiling otherwise the tannins will be too bitter. Milk first became a thing when people started to be able to afford good china but the cup would crack if the water was too hot and they were protecting their fragile expensive china. Was temporarily considered a 'posh' thing because 'hey look at my expensive china'. A tea pot was always used - the tea wasn't being made in the cup like it is so often these days. Mostly it's considered very middle class and 'not the done thing' by anyone who cares about that kind of thing. Upper classes and working classes (usually have more in common than the middle) would always add the milk last. The former because the water would be cool enough by the time it reached the drawing room or wherever tea was being taken (servants can be soo slow!) and the latter because the cups were sturdy affairs.

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    Alicia Butterfield
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's based on the china they used in the olden days.. milk first is used for fine bone china which is more delicate - you need the milk so the china doesn't crack from the hot tea. Milk last isn't a problem if you're using a mug or a sturdy cup - usually this was a cheaper option!

    Remi Flynne
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Only if you were not rich, but just comfortable enough to have bone china. In large homes, owned by the nobility, by the time the tea was delivered by the maid the water was not that hot and your bone china would be fine. Hence it is considered 'middle class' to put milk in first and the upper classes would look down on it.

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    Schteinrick
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Scientists have, in fact, studied this. It DOES matter what order the milk is put in. If you do it wrong, the milk turns slightly sour, and so the tea does not taste so good. Too bad I can’t remember what is the right order.

    Remi Flynne
    Community Member
    3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Oh, this argument...One from the 40s. Dr Stapley of Loughborough University supposedly established that putting the milk in after the boiling water is incorrect, as it causes the milk to heat unevenly (as opposed to pouring the water on top of it). This uneven heating of the milk causes the proteins in it to denature, meaning they lose their structure and “clump”. Turns out this was mostly seen in milk either a) near the point of going off and/or b) poured onto too hot water which shouldn't be used in any event as it make the tannin in tea too strong. This is another reason why the temperature of the water is actually very important. Also, milk first if you are using a tea bag is an utter no-no as it won't infuse properly because it will then be too cold.

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    Tabitha L
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I pull milk in before my coffee. My family thinks I'm weird.

    Daniel Marsh
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    All I can figure is that if you like your tea sweetened, it dissolves 0.03% faster if you put it in before the milk. Supposedly, tea made from pouring water over tea rather than plopping teabags on top of the water tastes better; certainly trying to steep tea in milky water would be foolish.

    Daniel Marsh
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    (I'm disregarding Matt's comments about electrical outlets as being sarcastic and not from the OP.)

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    Kai
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The order of items on a scone dictates where in the west country you are from or influenced from. Devon or Cornwall!

    Jods
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Am I the only one getting wound up that a scone is described as a breakfast item?

    Mary Peace
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I think people originally used to put the milk in first because they had nice china, and it was valuable, so they didn't want to risk the hot tea breaking the cup. I put it in first because I was brought up that way.

    Tarryn Louise
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Milk stops the tea leaves from releasing all the potential strength from the bag. It makes a huge difference.

    Roger M1CDQ
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The reason the milk goes first. Is originally tea was drunk from bone china tea cups. The sudden temp change from hot tea would cause the cup to crack. Hence milk first to stop the thermal shock to the cup.

    Andrew Robertson
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Ooh, now you're getting seriously controversial. It absolutely matters and it's milk second, jam first, for your information.

    Jon Steensen
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If you look at the back of teabag you will see a suggested brewing temperature, which is usually a little below the boiling point of the water. I suppose that that is the temperature that best extracts the aromas from the tea leaves, giving the best cup of tea. If you brew you tea in a mug (besides the fact that the Brits will freeze you out for not using a proper cup), you will brew at the a too low temperature if you pour in the milk first. On a summer day I tried to make ice tea and was impatient, so I tried brewing tea with cold water to eliminate the cool down time. That did not work as the tea does not infuse if the water is too cold, it did not even change colour, so water temperature matters.

    Eileen Nicholson
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It matters...trust me - it matters....! Woe betide (s)he who puts milk on my tea-bag before the boiling water......

    Darren Butler
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    You're supposed to make tea in a teapot, making it in a cup/mug is just lazy.... or you're at work!

    Michelle Rutherford
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Oh my god! You are NOT English if you put milk in first! Herecy I tell you!!!

    Madders
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Tea = milk in last, coffee = milk in first, but each to your own!

    Marcellus the Third
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "Culture, it does not matter at all" is what I hear. Berry berry american.

    Kainaath Khan
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    There is a big difference in taste when either one is put first.

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