Naughts and Zeds is an ongoing series of posts on the differences
between language, culture, and everyday items in America and in Britain.
For a list of previous posts, go here.
In America, Valentine's Day is a big deal. The stores are crowded with cards, candy, and other collectibles that show just how much you care. The shelves are stocked in the UK too, though one item is missing. That's those little Valentine's Day notes for school-age children to give to everyone in their class. I looked in the grocery stores. I looked in the card stores. I looked in the book stores. No one had any in stock. It was surprising to me. We'd had a flurry of cards at Christmas from J's and L's classmates. Sure enough, such Christmas cards were on sale all over the place. Well, for Valentine's Day it's just not available because it's just not done here in Britain.
We sent a note in to J's teachers and they wrote back saying kids don't send Valentines in the UK but we were welcome to if we wanted. J decided against it. L did want to, so we sent in a bunch of notes we had from a previous year with a nice Wizard of Oz theme. She forgot they were in her backpack, so they never got delivered. I should have checked when I picked her up! Whoops.
At home, we did exchange some gifts. I bought my wife some nice chocolates from a fancy local store, Hotel Chocolat. She bought me the first season of Once Upon a Time, which I am excited to watch. Probably while we are eating her chocolates!
Happy Valentine's Day to all!
In America, Valentine's Day is a big deal. The stores are crowded with cards, candy, and other collectibles that show just how much you care. The shelves are stocked in the UK too, though one item is missing. That's those little Valentine's Day notes for school-age children to give to everyone in their class. I looked in the grocery stores. I looked in the card stores. I looked in the book stores. No one had any in stock. It was surprising to me. We'd had a flurry of cards at Christmas from J's and L's classmates. Sure enough, such Christmas cards were on sale all over the place. Well, for Valentine's Day it's just not available because it's just not done here in Britain.
We sent a note in to J's teachers and they wrote back saying kids don't send Valentines in the UK but we were welcome to if we wanted. J decided against it. L did want to, so we sent in a bunch of notes we had from a previous year with a nice Wizard of Oz theme. She forgot they were in her backpack, so they never got delivered. I should have checked when I picked her up! Whoops.
At home, we did exchange some gifts. I bought my wife some nice chocolates from a fancy local store, Hotel Chocolat. She bought me the first season of Once Upon a Time, which I am excited to watch. Probably while we are eating her chocolates!
Happy Valentine's Day to all!
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