Christmas vs. Remembrance Day

amelisha

dcbride86 said:

amelisha said:

I don't want to wade too far into this, but I get where the PP was coming from in one respect...as a Canadian, it's always really odd to us that Americans don't know when our holidays are, because we get kinda beaten over the head with all of yours thanks to school and just TV etc., as so much of our media is imported from the US. So it can be weird to be reminded that you don't experience the same thing. Like...I always know when Thanksgiving, Memorial Day, etc., are whether I want to or not because we're so inundated with American media and it is kind of odd that it doesn't go both ways.

That's as much as I'm willing to take on with this one though...

You know when American Thanksgiving is?  That's actually kind of surprising to me.  I would think you might know it's later than Canadian thanksgiving (just as I know Canadian thanksgiving is before American), but I'm surprised you know the date.  I'm surprised it's all over the media over there, too.  I guess I always just assumed the Canadian media would be crazy over Canadian Thanksgiving in the same way American media is nuts over American Thanksgiving

No, Thanksgiving is a much smaller holiday here, there is never much but maybe a few grocery ads and that kind of thing. Meanwhile, every commercial on every non-Canadian cable channel we have is for Thanksgiving and it gets mentioned everywhere online too, so it's pretty hard to escape it. Obviously it's not mentioned on the CBC or anything, but I certainly can't avoid it when I'm watching the Food Network or whatever.

dcbride86

amelisha said:

dcbride86 said:

amelisha said:

I don't want to wade too far into this, but I get where the PP was coming from in one respect...as a Canadian, it's always really odd to us that Americans don't know when our holidays are, because we get kinda beaten over the head with all of yours thanks to school and just TV etc., as so much of our media is imported from the US. So it can be weird to be reminded that you don't experience the same thing. Like...I always know when Thanksgiving, Memorial Day, etc., are whether I want to or not because we're so inundated with American media and it is kind of odd that it doesn't go both ways.

That's as much as I'm willing to take on with this one though...

You know when American Thanksgiving is?  That's actually kind of surprising to me.  I would think you might know it's later than Canadian thanksgiving (just as I know Canadian thanksgiving is before American), but I'm surprised you know the date.  I'm surprised it's all over the media over there, too.  I guess I always just assumed the Canadian media would be crazy over Canadian Thanksgiving in the same way American media is nuts over American Thanksgiving

No, Thanksgiving is a much smaller holiday here, there is never much but maybe a few grocery ads and that kind of thing. Meanwhile, every commercial on every non-Canadian cable channel we have is for Thanksgiving and it gets mentioned everywhere online too, so it's pretty hard to escape it. Obviously it's not mentioned on the CBC or anything, but I certainly can't avoid it when I'm watching the Food Network or whatever.

Interesting - I guess I just expected the commercials would be different there - kind of like how the commercials change os I don't see whos running for office in Kentucky since I'm in DC.

I am sorry if you feel that I was being disrespectful or anything.  I really wasn't trying to be.

amelisha

dcbride86 said:

amelisha said:

dcbride86 said:

amelisha said:

I don't want to wade too far into this, but I get where the PP was coming from in one respect...as a Canadian, it's always really odd to us that Americans don't know when our holidays are, because we get kinda beaten over the head with all of yours thanks to school and just TV etc., as so much of our media is imported from the US. So it can be weird to be reminded that you don't experience the same thing. Like...I always know when Thanksgiving, Memorial Day, etc., are whether I want to or not because we're so inundated with American media and it is kind of odd that it doesn't go both ways.

That's as much as I'm willing to take on with this one though...

You know when American Thanksgiving is?  That's actually kind of surprising to me.  I would think you might know it's later than Canadian thanksgiving (just as I know Canadian thanksgiving is before American), but I'm surprised you know the date.  I'm surprised it's all over the media over there, too.  I guess I always just assumed the Canadian media would be crazy over Canadian Thanksgiving in the same way American media is nuts over American Thanksgiving

No, Thanksgiving is a much smaller holiday here, there is never much but maybe a few grocery ads and that kind of thing. Meanwhile, every commercial on every non-Canadian cable channel we have is for Thanksgiving and it gets mentioned everywhere online too, so it's pretty hard to escape it. Obviously it's not mentioned on the CBC or anything, but I certainly can't avoid it when I'm watching the Food Network or whatever.

Interesting - I guess I just expected the commercials would be different there - kind of like how the commercials change os I don't see whos running for office in Kentucky since I'm in DC.

I am sorry if you feel that I was being disrespectful or anything.  I really wasn't trying to be.

I'm not the poster from above who mentioned disrespect, no worries. Just another Canadian who finds the whole thing a little weird.

On the political thing, though, that is one of my favourite things about American cable channels! The commercials for politician campaigns! We don't really do that too much up here and I find them so funny (and so random...it'll be, like, some guy running for a Senate seat or a Representative from whatever state the station is broadcast from.) I also enjoy the ones for lawyers during the day..."Get child support from your baby daddy!" "Sue that guy who hit your car!"

lovegood90

amelisha said:

I don't want to wade too far into this, but I get where the PP was coming from in one respect...as a Canadian, it's always really odd to us that Americans don't know when our holidays are, because we get kinda beaten over the head with all of yours thanks to school and just TV etc., as so much of our media is imported from the US. So it can be weird to be reminded that you don't experience the same thing. Like...I always know when Thanksgiving, Memorial Day, etc., are whether I want to or not because we're so inundated with American media and it is kind of odd that it doesn't go both ways.

That's as much as I'm willing to take on with this one though...

This is my feeling on this! Just a bit of a feeling like "oh right, I forget that they don't experience Canadian culture the same way we experience theirs" but not in an insulted "oh you dumb Americans" way, if that makes sense.

dcbride86

amelisha said:

dcbride86 said:

amelisha said:

dcbride86 said:

amelisha said:

I don't want to wade too far into this, but I get where the PP was coming from in one respect...as a Canadian, it's always really odd to us that Americans don't know when our holidays are, because we get kinda beaten over the head with all of yours thanks to school and just TV etc., as so much of our media is imported from the US. So it can be weird to be reminded that you don't experience the same thing. Like...I always know when Thanksgiving, Memorial Day, etc., are whether I want to or not because we're so inundated with American media and it is kind of odd that it doesn't go both ways.

That's as much as I'm willing to take on with this one though...

You know when American Thanksgiving is?  That's actually kind of surprising to me.  I would think you might know it's later than Canadian thanksgiving (just as I know Canadian thanksgiving is before American), but I'm surprised you know the date.  I'm surprised it's all over the media over there, too.  I guess I always just assumed the Canadian media would be crazy over Canadian Thanksgiving in the same way American media is nuts over American Thanksgiving

No, Thanksgiving is a much smaller holiday here, there is never much but maybe a few grocery ads and that kind of thing. Meanwhile, every commercial on every non-Canadian cable channel we have is for Thanksgiving and it gets mentioned everywhere online too, so it's pretty hard to escape it. Obviously it's not mentioned on the CBC or anything, but I certainly can't avoid it when I'm watching the Food Network or whatever.

Interesting - I guess I just expected the commercials would be different there - kind of like how the commercials change os I don't see whos running for office in Kentucky since I'm in DC.

I am sorry if you feel that I was being disrespectful or anything.  I really wasn't trying to be.

I'm not the poster from above who mentioned disrespect, no worries. Just another Canadian who finds the whole thing a little weird.

On the political thing, though, that is one of my favourite things about American cable channels! The commercials for politician campaigns! We don't really do that too much up here and I find them so funny (and so random...it'll be, like, some guy running for a Senate seat or a Representative from whatever state the station is broadcast from.) I also enjoy the ones for lawyers during the day..."Get child support from your baby daddy!" "Sue that guy who hit your car!"

My dad's a political strategist and actually makes campaign spots.  I grew up watching all the ones he made to make sure they didn't have any issues (one time my dad had to reshoot because someone in the background was very obviously picking a wedgie lol)

I actually hate them because I've been surrounded by them SO much.  They're definitely funny, but it's really sad that many voters get the a lot of their information from the commercials.

There are also a bunch of crazy rules relating to the lawyer ads.  I wrote a paper in law school about things a lawyer can and can't blog about because it could be considered an advertisement.  And recently 1 woman was disbarred (I think) because she kept photoshopping pictures of her with celebrities and left them on her website lol

Maggie0829

amelisha said:

On the political thing, though, that is one of my favourite things about American cable channels! The commercials for politician campaigns! We don't really do that too much up here and I find them so funny (and so random...it'll be, like, some guy running for a Senate seat or a Representative from whatever state the station is broadcast from.) I also enjoy the ones for lawyers during the day..."Get child support from your baby daddy!" "Sue that guy who hit your car!"

If you like the political commercials you can keep them.  By the time election day rolls around I am doing a happy dance knowing that all those stupid ass commercials will no longer be shown.

jennyleigh16

LondonLisa said:

jennyleigh16 said:

JennyColada said:

JennyColada said:

I have to say it hurts my brain a little bit that a lot of the Americans here had no idea that Canada celebrates our veterans as well. They all fought alongside and were often a large part of the reason why wars and battles were won. These veterans more than deserve it. I know none of you are saying they don't deserve it but still. I feel like I know a fair bit about American celebrations and culture and I have always wished it was mutual. /end rant. Destroys soap box

I don't think anyone is surprised that Canada has A holiday to celebrate/remember veterans, mainly it's just the date. I mean, do you know the dates of our Thanksgiving or election days?

Um...November 11th marked the end of hostilities in WWI...pretty sure that's a significant date for Canada too. 

- - - Oh. So I suppose you also know when Yom Kippur is. Because that's a pretty significant day for Jewish people too. Or Armistice day, because that's significant in Europe.

SITB

Armistice day is also Nov 11 in Europe. It marks the armistice signed on Nov 11 to end the hostilities in WWI. Pretty significant day for the allies. I'm not saying people should know about holidays in other countries. But if you knew why your Veteran's day is on Nov 11 and what it represents then no one should be surprised that Canada celebrates on the same day. We were there too guys. You are correct about Yom Kippur, though. 

ETA because words are hard. 

Well it sounds like you have a chip on your shoulder from something bigger. Someone asked what Remembrance Day was, you don't need to be sanctimonious.

Aussies and Kiwis were there too, and their national veteran's remembrance holiday is ANZAC day in April. So maybe before you judge all of the United States, you should recognise your own hypocrisy in not knowing that not ALL allies celebrate a national veteran's days on November 11. 

Fair point. 

amelisha

dcbride86 said:

My dad's a political strategist and actually makes campaign spots.  I grew up watching all the ones he made to make sure they didn't have any issues (one time my dad had to reshoot because someone in the background was very obviously picking a wedgie lol)

I actually hate them because I've been surrounded by them SO much.  They're definitely funny, but it's really sad that many voters get the a lot of their information from the commercials.

There are also a bunch of crazy rules relating to the lawyer ads.  I wrote a paper in law school about things a lawyer can and can't blog about because it could be considered an advertisement.  And recently 1 woman was disbarred (I think) because she kept photoshopping pictures of her with celebrities and left them on her website lol

It's just so far removed from our culture up here - I forget a lot of the time that we really are different, but I remember it again whenever I see that kind of advertising. It's not common here because we are just more...reserved, I guess, in a lot of ways. I get a huge kick out of it though. I also love driving through the US and seeing all the flags on everything and the billboards for, like...gun ranges and fireworks and Jesus and doctors. Up here we just don't announce stuff in quite the same way and it satisfies the part of my brain that loves humour of the absurd. The US is Bizarro-World Canada, almost the same in so many ways but then with these weird but pervasive differences.

The lawyer thing fascinates me too - I know absolutely nothing about it in either country but there's something about the style of lots of those ads that strikes me as ridiculous. Maybe because all the lawyers I know are the corporate kind, but something about those commercials is so People of Wal-Mart, you know?