Americans and Canadians culture Q&A Thread.

[ronandannette]

Canadians, how big is Halloween in Canada? Do you have any local Halloween traditions.

I guess that's in the eye of the beholder (or partaker?). Personally, we don't celebrate Halloween and as it happens, we live in an older, mid-town neighbourhood with very few kids. I keep treats on hand just in case the doorbell rings but in 8 years, it never has.

There are lots of yards around that transform into veritable Halloween horror-lands, lots of community events and haunted-house attractions, and I'd imagine tons of kids that are anxiously awaiting the night and planning their costumes. Halloween falls on a Monday this year and regardless, that's the night trick-or-treat will happen. Adult events, such as parties at bars, will probably take place on Saturday.

 

[NAB]

We used to get close to 200 now we get about 50 .

Do have 2 elementary schools in the area but they tend to go to the newer part of the subdivision . I get a mixture of babies to teenagers. Have farm kids come in too.

Hand out mini chocolate bars. Hand out the ones I don’t like first because there will be left overs.

 

[prairie_girl]

We don’t get any kids because we live in an apartment on a street with no houses. Across the street from us are the residential houses so they go there instead. My parents live in a kid friendly area and get about 30 or so kids.

Our only tradition (?) that is universal is to make sure that a snowsuit will fit under your costume if need be. As far back as I can remember, we haven’t had snow on the ground for Halloween but it’s not impossible. More than anything it will be cold and rainy.

 

[Disneylover99]

I think it's fairly big around me. Lots of people decorate and go all out. Lots of kids trick or treating, regardless of the day of week or weather.
It depends on your neighbourhood.

 

[Buzz Rules]

Canadians, how passionate are you about your national teams when they compete in sports that you don’t normally follow? Do you wear Canadian gear while watching games, eat something uniquely Canadian, and/or scream at the tv when your national team scores? I often hear Americans are louder at sporting events than Canadians but even I admit that’s probably just American bias.

 

[ronandannette]

We don’t get any kids because we live in an apartment on a street with no houses. Across the street from us are the residential houses so they go there instead. My parents live in a kid friendly area and get about 30 or so kids.

Our only tradition (?) that is universal is to make sure that a snowsuit will fit under your costume if need be. As far back as I can remember, we haven’t had snow on the ground for Halloween but it’s not impossible. More than anything it will be cold and rainy.

Right?!? And no Canadian kid anywhere ever fell for their parents urging them to go as a snowman or skier or whatever. They all insist on going as "fluffy" super-heros and Disney princesses.

 

[ronandannette]

Canadians, how passionate are you about your national teams when they compete in sports that you don’t normally follow? Do you wear Canadian gear while watching games, eat something uniquely Canadian, and/or scream at the tv when your national team scores? I often hear Americans are louder at sporting events than Canadians but even I admit that’s probably just American bias.

Think about what you're saying here. I don't do anything for sports I don't follow, because...I don't follow them.

 

[prairie_girl]

Think about what you're saying here. I don't do anything for sports I don't follow, because...I don't follow them.

Read between the lines lol

 

[Buzz Rules]

Think about what you're saying here. I don't do anything for sports I don't follow, because...I don't follow them.

Read between the lines lol

This wasn’t a soccer thing. And it wasn’t a political statement either. I’m talking about sports. I see Americans at sports games or at sports parties at friends houses that wear jerseys and during national team games sometimes dress up with wigs/face paint cheering from their couches.

 

[Buzz Rules]

Think about what you're saying here. I don't do anything for sports I don't follow, because...I don't follow them.

Olympic Games on tv?
I’m talking about international games, not just the WC but any Canadian game. I’m not talking about nationalism, I’m talking about patriotic pride in sports.

I heard Canadians are more reserved when expressing patriotic pride at sports matches (this is not an insult but just an observation of a difference in culture). By the way @seshat0120 , it was a genuine question and in no way political.

Here is another example (yes it a soccer one but just disregard the sport for a second). During Canada’s WC qualifiers in Edmonton, people who did not care about soccer wore whatever Canada gear they had and went to the game (sold out the stadium) or watched it from home (posting on social media that they were wearing Canada merchandise). So this would lead me to believe that the bias claim that Canadians usually don’t express patriotism openly in sports that involves national team games is usually false.

 

[Buzz Rules]

Also, I just wanted to say that I hope @mommasita is doing okay. I haven’t heard any updates about her but I’m surprised she hasn’t commented on the thread in awhile. I hope her battle with breast cancer is going in a positive direction.

 

[prairie_girl]

Olympic Games on tv?
I’m talking about international games, not just the WC but any Canadian game. I’m not talking about nationalism, I’m talking about patriotic pride in sports.

I heard Canadians are more reserved when expressing patriotic pride at sports matches (this is not an insult but just an observation of a difference in culture). By the way @seshat0120 , it was a genuine question and in no way political.

Here is another example (yes it a soccer one but just disregard the sport for a second). During Canada’s WC qualifiers in Edmonton, people who did not care about soccer wore whatever Canada gear they had and went to the game (sold out the stadium) or watched it from home (posting on social media that they were wearing Canada merchandise). So this would lead me to believe that the bias claim that Canadians usually don’t express patriotism openly in sports that involves national team games is usually false.

Watch any hockey tournament on a world stage and you will see how nuts we can be too.

 

[Buzz Rules]

Watch any hockey tournament on a world stage and you will see how nuts we can be too.

 

[Frozen Canuck]

Canadians, how passionate are you about your national teams when they compete in sports that you don’t normally follow?

Think about what you're saying here. I don't do anything for sports I don't follow, because...I don't follow them.

Olympic Games on tv?
I’m talking about international games, not just the WC but any Canadian game. I’m not talking about nationalism, I’m talking about patriotic pride in sports.

You seem to feel like if a country gets to a high enough level in a sport that the citizens of that country will automatically start watching and get invested in their team. We don't. Or if we do, it is only in a cursory way, catching a highlight on the news or whatever. The last Olympic anything that I watched was when Sydney Crosby scored the winning goal. I'd like to say that every Canadian was watching that game, but I know that wouldn't be true. Some of us are sports fans and some of us aren't. We are okay with that. Honestly, I don't think the US is any much different. Not everybody enjoys watching sports. You just aren't hanging out with the people who take advantage of Patriots' game days to go shopping.

 

[SirDuff]

You seem to feel like if a country gets to a high enough level in a sport that the citizens of that country will automatically start watching and get invested in their team. We don't. Or if we do, it is only in a cursory way, catching a highlight on the news or whatever. The last Olympic anything that I watched was when Sydney Crosby scored the winning goal. I'd like to say that every Canadian was watching that game, but I know that wouldn't be true. Some of us are sports fans and some of us aren't. We are okay with that. Honestly, I don't think the US is any much different. Not everybody enjoys watching sports. You just aren't hanging out with the people who take advantage of Patriots' game days to go shopping.

I tend to watch bits of the Olympics. honestly, I often watch tape delays so I know the outcome because I do not do well with the stress otherwise (even though I realise that it doesn't affect my life and I will forget the results by the next day). I may or may not have watch the Sydney Crosby goal (not being coy, I honestly don't remember).

I have two friends/colleagues with kids that have been to the Olympics, so I do make a point to watch them compete.

 

[Aladora]

Canadians, how big is Halloween in Canada? Do you have any local Halloween traditions.

Typical stuff around here, trick or treating, bonfires, etc.

Our only tradition (?) that is universal is to make sure that a snowsuit will fit under your costume if need be. As far back as I can remember, we haven’t had snow on the ground for Halloween but it’s not impossible. More than anything it will be cold and rainy.

Here on the West coast, you need to change "snowsuit" to "raincoat"!

When DS was little, there were many Halloween nights where we needed umbrellas!

 

[Dale Dean]

Pft, no way...we have ketchup chips and REAL Smarties up here, nothing you can offer would top those!

Also, Kinder surprises!

And Wonder Bars!

 

[prairie_girl]

And Wonder Bars!

Don’t forget Aero bars too!

 

[Buzz Rules]

After hearing on the thread that some Canadians like to bandwagon on Canadian teams when they reach playoffs/finals, I’m curious. If CF Montreal beat NYCFC tomorrow and then Philly next week to make MLS Cup (North America’s soccer Super Bowl), do you think casuals may tune in when they normally wouldn’t? I’m not talking about people caring about the sport or whether Canadians will follow the league. But as previously mentioned, when the Toronto Blue Jays were in the playoffs, some Canadians on this thread had a rooting interest when they wouldn’t before. So, Canadian non soccer fans do you think more than most normally would, will follow CF Montreal’s journey to the final (if they make it that far)? So @prairie_girl, @Frozen Canuck, @NAB, @Aladora, @ronandannette, @declansdad, @Disneylover99, and @SirDuff, do you think many Canadians will tune into CF Montreal playoff matches just because? Thanks for humoring my one slightly soccer related question today. I hope everyone is having a great weekend.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1583503380135018496

 

[prairie_girl]

After hearing on the thread that some Canadians like to bandwagon on Canadian teams when they reach playoffs/finals, I’m curious. If CF Montreal beat NYCFC tomorrow and then Philly next week to make MLS Cup (North America’s soccer Super Bowl), do you think casuals may tune in when they normally wouldn’t? I’m not talking about people caring about the sport or whether Canadians will follow the league. But as previously mentioned, when the Toronto Blue Jays were in the playoffs, some Canadians on this thread had a rooting interest when they wouldn’t before. So, Canadian non soccer fans do you think more than most normally would, will follow CF Montreal’s journey to the final (if they make it that far)? So @prairie_girl, @Frozen Canuck, @NAB, @Aladora, @ronandannette, @declansdad, @Disneylover99, and @SirDuff, do you think many Canadians will tune into CF Montreal playoff matches just because? Thanks for humoring my one slightly soccer related question today. I hope everyone is having a great weekend.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1583503380135018496

I’m going with no, because until this second, I had no idea about any of this. Yes, we have national pride, but not when it comes to soccer. Yes, I’m just speaking for myself, but, I watch national sports channels 3-4 times a week and haven’t heard it mentioned. At all.