Americans and Canadians culture Q&A Thread.

[Buzz Rules]

Do Canadians still feel connected to the Queen (like as her subjects), or distinctly separated from the kingdom? I know you have the commonwealth but how connected to the UK do you actually feel?

 

[ronandannette]

Does Alberta have a Civic Holiday in the Summer? In BC we get BC Day in August. St Jean Baptiste in Quebec is equivalent to that.

I grew up calling Victoria Day “ Victoria Day” in Quebec but maybe things have changed in 22 years.

Yes - the first Monday in August is called Heritage Day.

 

[NAB]

Looks like you get St. John Baptise Day in June to make up for it. I also just read you call Victoria Day (3rd Monday in May) something else - is that true?

Lol we call it the 2 4 weekend here. Always heard that when I was small. 24 bottles of beer…weekend. It just stuck , called that still by some people I know so not sure if it still is.

We get August 1st civic holiday.

 

[declansdad]

Do Canadians still feel connected to the Queen (like as her subjects), or distinctly separated from the kingdom? I know you have the commonwealth but how connected to the UK do you actually feel?

For most people there is no connection, there are still some monarchists in Canada. It does seem that there is a much bigger fascination with the British Royals in the US than in Canada.

 

[Aladora]

Lol we call it the 2 4 weekend here. Always heard that when I was small. 24 bottles of beer…weekend. It just stuck , called that still by some people I know so not sure if it still is.

We get August 1st civic holiday.

Growing up in Ottawa, we always called it the May 2-4 weekend.

Also, it’s Family Day here in BC as well.

 

[bcwife76]

I feel zero connection to the monarchy. I felt some when my parents were alive (mom was Welsh, dad was British) but they have both passed and for whatever reason I feel zero connection to the monarchy and the UK in general. Eventhough my entire extended family lives (mostly) in England and Wales.

 

[tvguy]

Do Canadians still feel connected to the Queen (like as her subjects), or distinctly separated from the kingdom? I know you have the commonwealth but how connected to the UK do you actually feel?

Only if they look in their wallets.

 

[ronandannette]

I love the last picture. I sure wish we still had paper money instead of the dumb plastic stuff (the top picture). It doesn't fold and wants to slip out of wallets, pockets and your hand. I just got USD the other day and it was all paper. Do you have the plastic stuff at all?

 

[NAB]

I love the last picture. I sure wish we still had paper money instead of the dumb plastic stuff (the top picture). It doesn't fold and wants to slip out of wallets, pockets and your hand. I just got USD the other day and it was all paper. Do you have the plastic stuff at all?

Since the pandemic we hardly handle cash anymore. Love the old bills too. Wish we would have kept the one and 2 dollar bills too.

 

[ronandannette]

Since the pandemic we hardly handle cash anymore. Love the old bills too. Wish we would have kept the one and 2 dollar bills too.

Totally. I got a bunch of American 1's for tipping and they definitely seem more like money than a Loonie does.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I love the last picture. I sure wish we still had paper money instead of the dumb plastic stuff (the top picture). It doesn't fold and wants to slip out of wallets, pockets and your hand. I just got USD the other day and it was all paper. Do you have the plastic stuff at all?

No not to my knowledge do we have plastic. Over time they have updated the money to include various security aspects to it to make it harder to forge although counterfeit money still gets circulated (some poorly done, some hard to catch).

When I was in retail you used to have to use a special pen on the money as a quick way to detect, if it was genuine it would be a faint yellow line, counterfeit it would be darker in color due to the chemical composition of the paper and ink. I don't know how common it is for places to still do that (especially with the pandemic less cash circulating) but various retail places had different rules some you would only do it on cash $50 and $100 and others you would do it on $20, $50, and $100.

On a $2 bill unfortunately since that is rarely seen sometimes people don't believe it's real. Back when we had greyhound racing in my area (which as an adult I can't condone) I used to get excited because they would give $2 bills (and I've kept some) along with half dollar coins (also harder to find).

 

[tvguy]

I love the last picture. I sure wish we still had paper money instead of the dumb plastic stuff (the top picture). It doesn't fold and wants to slip out of wallets, pockets and your hand. I just got USD the other day and it was all paper. Do you have the plastic stuff at all?

Paper money is still paper in the U.S. And despite repeated efforts over the years Americans pretty much have refused to use $2 paper bills, $1 and 50 cent coins.

 

[tvguy]

Since the pandemic we hardly handle cash anymore. Love the old bills too. Wish we would have kept the one and 2 dollar bills too.

California "reopened" June 15th and the businesses that went to cards only are now again back to taking cash. I suspect inflation is the reason. They are looking at ways to cut costs and not having to pay 3% of every purchase to a credit card processing company can really ad up.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Paper money is still paper in the U.S. And despite repeated efforts over the years Americans pretty much have refused to use $2 paper bills, $1 and 50 cent coins.

$1 is still strong although I feel most use it for tipping or garage sales lol

 

[tvguy]

$1 is still strong although I feel most use it for tipping or garage sales lol

$1 is still strong at the weekly farmer's market here. Everything is priced in even dollar amounts and the vendors tend to round down to the closest dollar. And only the food trucks setup there tend to take credit cards, the "farmers" tend to all be cash only.

 

[OnceUponATime15]

Back to potato chips and Loblaws for just a sec… it seems that Lays & Loblaws are having issues.

https://www.thestar.com/business/20...es-alters-some-grocery-store-chip-aisles.html

 

[Buzz Rules]

What sports games are you excited this weekend for in Canada and the USA?

 

[mommasita]

Back to potato chips and Loblaws for just a sec… it seems that Lays & Loblaws are having issues.

https://www.thestar.com/business/20...es-alters-some-grocery-store-chip-aisles.html

This freaks me out, being honest here. I am a chip person. . I like to have a couple with my lunch, a a couple at night, never a whole bag, but I do enjoy them. Heck I love chips.
I got my IGA order delivered this morning, and no problems there. Last night I went to the dollarama, they had all kinds, 2 or 3$. Lays, Doritos, etc.
Doing my weekly Shoppers run tomorrow for the good sales, last weekend was not a chip to be found.

On the $. I almost never carry cash, I use my debit for everything. I keep a few loonies and twoonies in my coat pocket and in the car, but otherwise debit it is.
When it’s the States, I prefer ones, dunno why. Maybe I’m afraid because I can’t differentiate the bills. Lol

 

[Buzz Rules]

This freaks me out, being honest here. I am a chip person. . I like to have a couple with my lunch, a a couple at night, never a whole bag, but I do enjoy them. Heck I love chips.
I got my IGA order delivered this morning, and no problems there. Last night I went to the dollarama, they had all kinds, 2 or 3$. Lays, Doritos, etc.
Doing my weekly Shoppers run tomorrow for the good sales, last weekend was not a chip to be found.

On the $. I almost never carry cash, I use my debit for everything. I keep a few loonies and twoonies in my coat pocket and in the car, but otherwise debit it is.
When it’s the States, I prefer ones, dunno why. Maybe I’m afraid because I can’t differentiate the bills. Lol

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_dollar

 

[mommasita]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_dollar

yes thanks, but when you have come from a country with denomination like ours, it’s VERY easy to make an error with American money. It all look alike, lol