Americans and Canadians culture Q&A Thread.

[Babsy]

I could offer my own unique experience. I am a USA passport holder with a Canadian residence. Have homes in both countries. Corporations in both countries. Bank accounts, investments and of course file taxes in both countries. I go from Toronto to Orlando a lot. Several times a month. And from Toronto to Dallas from time to time. So I’m immersed in both cultures. In my experience there is a huge difference. It would be a lot to get into. I will say, and it can be seen on this thread and the dis in general. That Canadians will expend a lot of energy trying to prove that they are just as good or better than the Americans. Of course they are, but they spend a lot of time on that. In general it was an eye opener to find out that in general Canadians make fun of and don’t care much for Americans, or the French in their own country for that matter. My wife who carries a Canadian passport is even amazed how much crap I put up with one they hear my Florida accent. What people will say to me. It’s almost every time we go out. Also, there is some stigma concerning Floridians. Not sure why but there certainly is.
Canada is a beautiful county. Where I live is amazing. I’m fortunate to have two places in amazing areas in Canada. I have wonderful in laws and I love my mother in law dearly. She’s amazing. But all in all I prefer Florida and much prefer being around Americans and the American spirit. There is a difference.

I prefer Florida to Toronto as well. However, I don't think that living in Toronto is much like living in many other areas of Canada. I know that it is like another world from Newfoundland and Labrador.

A question for Canadians. When I was a kid visiting my Aunts and Uncles in Canada I was surprised that the mailman made deliveries twice a day, morning and afternoon. However, the mailman would not pickup outgoing mail from your house, you had to go to a drop box or the post office for that. Is that still the case?

Never ever had the mail delivered to my house in my life. Always have had to have a post box and go to it to get my mail. Always have had to bring the mail to the post office to send it.

Why have the Queen of England on your money? Doesn’t that upset the Queen of Canada?

Our Queen is on our money. Long live the Queen! I believe that Queen Elizabeth is loved in NL almost as much as in the UK.

 

[Babsy]

Do Americans put money, a ring and a button in pancakes on pancake day?

 

[Buzz Rules]

Do Americans put money, a ring and a button in pancakes on pancake day?

If we are proposing…

We honestly go to IHOP or Waffle House. If we are home, we make a traditional American breakfast.

 

[Buzz Rules]

Are American pancakes different than Canadian pancakes? What brands do you use or do you make them from scratch?

 

[prairie_girl]

Do Americans put money, a ring and a button in pancakes on pancake day?

I’ve never heard of money in pancakes, but every birthday cake in our family has money in it.

 

[Buzz Rules]

I’ve never heard of money in pancakes, but every birthday cake in our family has money in it.

It’s a British tradition.

 

[prairie_girl]

It’s a British tradition.

I assumed

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Off the top of my head, I can think of 27 states I've visited. Now that I'm thinking about it, I really need to plan some trips to the middle of the country. FWIW, we have traveled outside the country, including Canada.

 

[Frozen Canuck]

I’ve never heard of money in pancakes, but every birthday cake in our family has money in it.

I have also never heard of buttons or money in pancakes, but we ALWAYS had money in our birthday cakes growing up.

 

[Buzz Rules]

I have also never heard of buttons or money in pancakes, but we ALWAYS had money in our birthday cakes growing up.

In the USA, we don’t do the money or button thing. There is a tradition for those who propose in a pancake place to put a ring on top of a short stack with with whip cream, cherries, sprinkles, fruit, or other things in a circle around the short stack. It’s less common now but it was a thing a while back.

 

[Robbie Cottam]

i know I’m picky about food but if I find a button or anything else in my pancake, I’m calling the board of health…..

 

[ronandannette]

Do Americans put money, a ring and a button in pancakes on pancake day?

What's pancake day? Do you mean Shrove Tuesday? No, money in pancakes doesn't seem to be a thing in the West but I'm with @prairie_girl (Manitoba) and @Frozen Canuck (Saskatchewan) that coins in our birthday cakes was a standard. I wonder now why I didn't continue it with my own DS?

@Buzz Rules in answer to your question about pancakes, every basic pancake I've had in either Canada or the US is the same. I'm not a big pancake person and don't make them (or eat them) very often but when I do, I use mix. Aunt Jemima (now Pearl Milling Company) would be my go-to but I'll also buy store brand.

I'm sorry to report not having visited near as much of Canada as I would like. I'm a born-and-bred Albertan and have been to BC and Ontario many times. I've not made it to the far north, Quebec or the Maritimes yet but I certainly would like to.

I've been to a number of States (not including airport layovers): Alaska, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Texas, Florida, Hawaii & the US Territory of Puerto Rico.

 

[NAB]

We never had money in our birthday cake or pancakes. We don’t have pancakes often either though but for sure on Shrove Tuesday.

We have owned different trailers and go away every summer. Longest trip was 5 weeks that took us from Toronto to San Francisco. Husband didn’t listen to the gps and took our travel trailer up a big hill , scariest thing since we were scared our brakes were not going to hold and land at the bottom taking everything with us.

We have been every where but Hawaii ( almost cancelled our Hawaiian cruise twice now and our Alaska cruise last summer). In Canada we have been coast to coast.

Love shopping in the U.S. so many different stores we don’t have here. Even Walmart has different stuff as do the Costco. No liquor at our Costco. Maybe in Quebec?

 

[OnceUponATime15]

I was born and raised in Ontario, both parents are New Brunswick natives - Dad’s dad from Wales, Mom from Scotland.. Ive never heard of buttons or money in pancakes for any occasion. Money in birthday cakes.. yes but not in decades. (@ronandannette you probably didn’t carry it on because.. choking hazard!)

Our travels have taken us everywhere east of Ontario over the years. Out west we have only done Calgary/Banff… the rest is yet to come.
In the US.. we’ve done trips or have driven through most of the Eastern states, have visited New Orleans, several cities in Michigan, Chicago.. furthest west - Vegas. Our favourites are Boston & area including the Cape.. Vermont in the Burlington area - summer & winter. NYC for Broadway and shopping, and of course Disney world.
Day trips to Niagara Falls both sides.. or Erie PA for shopping are fun too!

 

[Robbie Cottam]

I have a question for the Canadians……. Why is it, or at least it seems, that most of (better than 90 percent) the women in Quebec speak French and English fluently, we’re maybe half the men do…..

 

[prairie_girl]

What's pancake day? Do you mean Shrove Tuesday? No, money in pancakes doesn't seem to be a thing in the West but I'm with @prairie_girl (Manitoba) and @Frozen Canuck (Saskatchewan) that coins in our birthday cakes was a standard. I wonder now why I didn't continue it with my own DS?

@Buzz Rules in answer to your question about pancakes, every basic pancake I've had in either Canada or the US is the same. I'm not a big pancake person and don't make them (or eat them) very often but when I do, I use mix. Aunt Jemima (now Pearl Milling Company) would be my go-to but I'll also buy store brand.

I'm sorry to report not having visited near as much of Canada as I would like. I'm a born-and-bred Albertan and have been to BC and Ontario many times. I've not made it to the far north, Quebec or the Maritimes yet but I certainly would like to.

I've been to a number of States (not including airport layovers): Alaska, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Texas, Florida, Hawaii & the US Territory of Puerto Rico.

When I make pancakes, I use a mix too. My mom is an expert at making them from scratch, but mine are always way too dense and nothing I do changes that lol

For provinces, I’ve been to Manitoba (obviously), Saskatchewan, Alberta, and BC. Going east, I’ve been to Ontario and Quebec.

For states, I won’t count ones I have traveled through and don’t remember. I’ve been to California, North Dakota, Florida, and Hawaii (hung out for a day on a layover).

For money in birthday cakes, we don’t use just a random amount..the age of the person is how much money is in the cake in cents. An exception to that is when my Grandma turned 100, my sister made a cake with 100 loonies! I think between me, my husband, and my daughter, we went home with close to $25 LOL

My grandpa died when he was in his late 80’s and that’s when my sister came up with the idea.

 

[ronandannette]

When I make pancakes, I use a mix too. My mom is an expert at making them from scratch, but mine are always way too dense and nothing I do changes that lol

For provinces, I’ve been to Manitoba (obviously), Saskatchewan, Alberta, and BC. Going east, I’ve been to Ontario and Quebec.

For states, I won’t count ones I have traveled through and don’t remember. I’ve been to California, North Dakota, Florida, and Hawaii (hung out for a day on a layover).

For money in birthday cakes, we don’t use just a random amount..the age of the person is how much money is in the cake in cents. An exception to that is when my Grandma turned 100, my sister made a cake with 100 loonies! I think between me, my husband, and my daughter, we went home with close to $25 LOL

My grandpa died when he was in his late 80’s and that’s when my sister came up with the idea.

Ours was dimes X the number of your age plus one quarter for a single, lucky person. It was only done for kids so there was only ever a modest number of coins in there and it was special to get one. Good memories!

ETA: It just occurred to me that now we've got plastic money, we could do this with much higher stakes. The bills wouldn't be hurt by moisture or cutting. Imagine stuffing $20's into your next birthday cake.

 

[declansdad]

We had money in birthday cakes in NB.

As for travel, I've been to all 10 provinces and 2 of the 3 territories. My US travels included staying in Maine, NH, Mass, North Carolina, Penn and Florida. I have passed through Maryland, Kentucky, Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia.

 

[mommasita]

We never had money in our birthday cake or pancakes. We don’t have pancakes often either though but for sure on Shrove Tuesday.

We have owned different trailers and go away every summer. Longest trip was 5 weeks that took us from Toronto to San Francisco. Husband didn’t listen to the gps and took our travel trailer up a big hill , scariest thing since we were scared our brakes were not going to hold and land at the bottom taking everything with us.

We have been every where but Hawaii ( almost cancelled our Hawaiian cruise twice now and our Alaska cruise last summer). In Canada we have been coast to coast.

Love shopping in the U.S. so many different stores we don’t have here. Even Walmart has different stuff as do the Costco. No liquor at our Costco. Maybe in Quebec?

Costco here sells Beer and some Wines, no hard stuff. It’s like all grocery stores. except Walmart, nothing alcoholic there.

I have a question for the Canadians……. Why is it, or at least it seems, that most of (better than 90 percent) the women in Quebec speak French and English fluently, we’re maybe half the men do…..

Why do you think this? I think it may seem that way, but I don’t know anyone who isn’t fluent, male or female.

 

[Buzz Rules]

Costco here sells Beer and some Wines, no hard stuff. It’s like all grocery stores. except Walmart, nothing alcoholic there.

Why do you think this? I think it may seem that way, but I don’t know anyone who isn’t fluent, male or female.

I have a theory. Maybe those who aren’t fluent are immigrants who haven’t learned the language yet in their new home country? English and French can be hard to learn for someone who hasn’t had to learn either as a child. When did you learn both?