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  • (upbeat music)

  • - Hi we're Joel and Lia

  • - And welcome back to vlog-mas.

  • So today's video is things Brits don't understand

  • about American Christmases.

  • - So, you know, there's lots of cultural differences

  • across the pond guys. - Yeah.

  • - We're gonna discuss a few of them today

  • and just let you know the things that we really

  • just don't understand about,

  • about American Christmas. - Yeah.

  • Okay so let's kick it off with the first one.

  • - Yep. - So the first one

  • is Brits just don't know what the holidays means.

  • - The holidays. - The phrase the holidays.

  • - The holidays, it's like,

  • what if you're not going on holiday.

  • - Yeah, holiday to us is what vacation means to you.

  • So when people say happy holidays,

  • we're like, we're not going on holiday.

  • - Yeah, I mean we don't really get, we don't really

  • have that said to us, - No.

  • - but we see it and hear it on film, TV,

  • - Yeah. - Happy holidays

  • and we're like, what?

  • - So am I right in thinking that for Americans,

  • the holiday season is Thanksgiving and Christmas?

  • - Yeah, I think so.

  • - It's just a bit weird, we don't,

  • we don't use that phrase.

  • We just say happy Christmas

  • but also, - Or merry Christmas.

  • - That's the thing, American's find it weird

  • 'cause they don't say happy Christmas,

  • they say merry Christmas.

  • - So right. - And we say both.

  • We say merry Christmas

  • or happy Christmas - and happy Christmas.

  • What, it's the same thing isn't it?

  • - It's the same thing. - Same thing.

  • - Yeah I just don't - Merry Christmas.

  • - Understand why it's not a thing

  • But yeah, on one of the articles that we said,

  • 'cause obviously we're discussing an article there,

  • that was written by BBC America.

  • What? - I thought that was a rat!

  • - Why? - It was your foot

  • playing footsie with mine and I was like we've got a rodent.

  • - Oh my gosh. - In a five star location.

  • - You've had too much prosecco.

  • - No, Joel, it's when I'm overtired.

  • Guys before this I used to live with mice, so like.

  • - Oh my gosh. - You know,

  • - She's triggered. - it's not unusual

  • that that I feel something land on my foot.

  • - Okay.

  • - Okay. - Okay.

  • (laughing)

  • - You just did that.

  • - Mkay. - Mkay.

  • (laughing)

  • You're such a little sh...

  • Okay.

  • - There's some BBC America were discussing it,

  • but I read somewhere that Americans

  • tend to not say happy Christmas.

  • - Yeah they say merry - Yeah.

  • - Merry Christmas - Merry Christmas

  • - Or a happy holidays. - and a happy, yeah.

  • And a happy New Year.

  • - Happy New Year. - New Year.

  • Yeah like, that was good.

  • That was quite New York.

  • - New York.

  • - New York.

  • 'Kay so the next one is to do with Christmas lights.

  • So, what we don't understand is how you guys

  • go so extra with the lights.

  • Like, honestly, the electricity bill must be

  • through the roof - Yeah.

  • How does everyone afford it.

  • - I don't know, maybe they go into debt for it.

  • But like, - Yeah.

  • - Do you remember that scene in the Grinch,

  • where I know that's, I know it's not real life,

  • it's the Grinch, but everyone in the Grinch

  • speaks with an American accent and all of their houses

  • are lit up like incredibly.

  • - Which means that all of you must do the same

  • - Same, because you're all like the people in the Grinch.

  • - Well they're called Whos,

  • the Whos in Whoville. - The Whos, yes!

  • The Whos in Whoville - Yeah.

  • - Nice memory Joel.

  • - So that's you guys - I love that.

  • And the UK is like the Grinch at the top of the, top of the

  • hill that doesn't light up. - Yeah like we're content

  • with a single dreary string of lights.

  • - Oh yeah, that's like some pushing the boat out.

  • - Yeah and we're like wow, that looks nice.

  • - Yeah and then they're like it's costing a bomb

  • on that one there. - Yeah.

  • - Like, you know what am I doing.

  • - But American's go all out, just like

  • the National Lampoon Christmas thing.

  • - What's that?

  • - You've never watched the National Lampoons?

  • - Is that like the festival of lights?

  • - No, it's a, it's a film.

  • An American film with the families are the Lampoons.

  • - No, I've never see that. - And their whole house

  • is covered in lights, it's amazing.

  • - Just about one family or like a neighborhood.

  • - It's not a documentary.

  • - Oh it's a film. - It's film.

  • - Okay, I've not seen the Lampoons.

  • - Lampoons.

  • - You'd like it. - Sorry, I'm, yeah,

  • should we put the Lampoons on,

  • - Yeah Lampoons on. - sack off this video.

  • - Why's it so funny when you say it?

  • - Put Lampoons on. - Put Lampoons (laughing)

  • Put Lampoons on.

  • - Guys, whatcha wanna watch?

  • Lampoons!

  • - Lampoons, I wanna watch Lampoons!

  • - Mom can we watch Lampoons please?

  • - We've had too much prosecco.

  • - Or not enough.

  • - The third one is, movie time.

  • - Right. - So apparently,

  • and I'm gonna read this, it says traditionally,

  • Christmas is a big day for new film releases in the U.S.

  • So apparently lots of American's,

  • on what we would call Boxing Day,

  • so the day after Christmas day, you would go to the cinema.

  • - Oh no, not on Boxing Day?

  • - On Boxing Day. - Oh no.

  • - Not on Boxing Day. - Not on the 26th.

  • - No the 26th. - Is it the 26th?

  • - Not on the 26th. - Well it's because

  • I'm aware that some of you might not know

  • what Boxing Day is - Yes.

  • - So that's why I called it the 26th.

  • - Yes, of course.

  • - But who goes to cinema on Boxing Day?

  • Boxing Day is about eating leftovers before falling asleep.

  • - Yeah and deciding which presents you want to return

  • and get a refund.

  • - And getting sale. - Yeah.

  • - That's like our version of Black Friday.

  • - Sale shopping starts at like 8 p.m. Christmas day,

  • into Boxing Day.

  • - Oh, online?

  • - Yeah, well it used to start on Boxing Day,

  • now it starts even early on Christmas.

  • - Now they're making it available, wow.

  • - But Boxing Day used to be when sales start.

  • Like not just, 'cause we have January sales,

  • but we also have like Boxing Day sales.

  • - And people you know, have to sort of wake up

  • and be at work on Boxing Day,

  • on the shop floor ready for the chaos.

  • - But everyone else gets Boxing Day off pretty much,

  • only if you work in retail or in like customer service

  • would you have to work

  • Boxing Day. - Boxing Day.

  • - It's like another national holiday.

  • So apparently Americans, some, lots of Americans

  • would go back to work on the 26th.

  • - Oh right. - Which is shocking.

  • - What 26th till New Years Eve?

  • - Probably, I don't know.

  • - And then you get New Years Eve, New Years day off.

  • - I don't know the answer to your questions.

  • - Oh gosh.

  • - I'm so sorry. - So many.

  • - But you guys do, so let us know down in the comments

  • below, let us know down there. - Down there.

  • Can I just say, if you're enjoying this video

  • so far guys, don't forget to subscribe for vlogs-mas.

  • Subscribe for future videos.

  • Subscribe for the future of Joel and Lia.

  • - Yes. - Subscribe for this home.

  • - Yes. - This beautiful home

  • that we're blessed with we are currently renting.

  • - Renting. - Renting for one night only.

  • - And if you would like to rent a home,

  • with Airbnb, then go down below,

  • you can get 25 pounds or dollars if you're American,

  • off your next stay, so if you sign up using our link.

  • - Yeah, and it was worth it.

  • - So the next one is that you guys

  • call Father Christmas Santa Claus.

  • - And it's trickled over to this side of the pond.

  • Trickled over like a spot of trickle.

  • It's basically, it's been Father Christmas up until,

  • your films made it, made us call him Santa Claus.

  • Ever since Elf,

  • Santa, I know him! - No, since the Santa Claus.

  • - Yeah you're right actually.

  • - Since way back when.

  • - But we Brits would call him

  • Father Christmas - Father Christmas.

  • Father Christmas.

  • - Be good or Father Christmas won't come.

  • - No won't, he won't come down the chimney,

  • into your room and fill your stocking and touch you.

  • - Next. - Next.

  • - Thank you, next.

  • - So Christmas dinner is the next one.

  • So, we've got a little bit of difference going on here.

  • I've heard from Americans on our secret Facebook group

  • that they might have like, say meat, loads of mashed potato,

  • and a few random things like thrown on top of that,

  • bit of casserole, bit of this, bit of that.

  • We fully go for it.

  • It's a proper British roast dinner, but Christmas-ified,

  • so you've got like turkey, and maybe some other meats

  • as well if your family are into that,

  • Yorkshire puddings, you've got

  • - Roast potatoes,

  • - Always has to be roasted.

  • - Yeah, it wouldn't be mashed,

  • we wouldn't mash. - Dripping in fat.

  • - Dripping in fat. - Dripping in like

  • - Goose fat. - goose fats.

  • - And then we'd have - Pigs in-

  • - Brussels sprouts - Brussels sprouts.

  • - Pigs in blankets. - Pigs in blankets,

  • so you've got like little cocktail sausages

  • wrapped in little crispy bacon.

  • - So nice.

  • - I can't wait for it to be Christmas.

  • - Yeah it's gonna be so nice.

  • - We get, obviously we do stuffing,

  • you guys do stuffing, our stuffing is very different.

  • But yeah, I just the Christmas dinner's like basically

  • how much of a big deal your Thanksgiving dinner is.

  • That's how much of a big deal Christmas dinner is for us.

  • - What time do you have Christmas?

  • - We have it quite late, we have,

  • we might have it after three o'clock.

  • So three p.m. the Queen's speech comes on the TV.

  • - Oh you don't eat until after that?

  • - So we might, I can't remember if we eat just before that,

  • so like two o'clock or if we wait till after that

  • and we have a big dinner at like 3:15,

  • 3:30 in the afternoon. - Interesting.

  • So will you have a breakkie? - 'Cause you spend

  • all day cooking.

  • Yeah so we'll have like pancakes for breakfast

  • with bucks fizz, - Okay that's cool,

  • interesting. - Mimosas.

  • - Mimosas.

  • - You guys also don't have Christmas pudding.

  • - And that's absolutely fine by us.

  • - Yeah 'cause it's disgusting. - 'Cause we don't like it.

  • - So yeah, scrap that. - Scrap that.

  • - And New Years Eve, U.S. style, okay.

  • - Okay.

  • - Oh yeah 'cause they talk about watching the ball drop.

  • What is the?

  • - We saw the ball, - The ball.

  • - When we went to New York.

  • - In New York the ball just drops.

  • You're like, that's it, that marks

  • the New Year guys - That's the new year.

  • - And that's like on TV

  • and the same way that if we live in the UK,

  • but we're not near London,

  • we might watch like the South Bank Fireworks,

  • they will watch the Times Square

  • ball drop. - Ball drop.

  • The reason this is weird to me,

  • is like if you drop the ball it means like you've forgotten

  • something or like you've slacked,

  • so that's really weird to me,

  • that you watch the ball drop. - Drop, yeah.

  • - So I'm sure that's negative start to the year.

  • - Isn't it, really they should launch

  • - The ball rise. - the ball into the sky.

  • And we should never see the ball again.

  • - No exactly. - 'Cause it's just

  • shooting for the stars.

  • - Yeah guys, give this video a like

  • if you think we should take over from the people

  • that run America, 'cause then we can like,

  • get the ball launched.

  • - Joel and Lia lift the ball this year.

  • So it's not dropping the ball,

  • like oh, missed, you dropped the ball

  • like you can't keep up with the workload,

  • it's like, we've launched the ball into space.

  • - You'll never see the ball again.

  • - Like he's put me on it, to launch me off.

  • And it's just like, see you later babe.

  • - Yeah, see ya, bye. - See ya later, bye.

  • - I think that's a - Don't come back down.

  • - much better way.

  • - Yeah how, so how are they gonna,

  • they just get a new ball every year?

  • - Yeah, new ball, it, I mean America

  • has lots of money, it's fine. - The ball can get smaller,

  • like it could be a tennis ball.

  • - Yeah a tennis, ping pong

  • - Ping pong, we could all - Ping pong ball.

  • - watch the ping pong ball, like, we could all be like,

  • (blowing)

  • We could all launch the ball - Everyone together.

  • - Everyone in Times Square, - Everyone's breath!

  • - Is like (blowing) launch the ball.

  • - That would be so good!

  • - Rather than drop the ball.

  • - Guys let's get this trending,

  • hashtag Joel and Lia for president.

  • - Launch the ball.

  • - The first ever duo president and British president.

  • - Listen, if Donald.

  • I'm not gonna say. - What?

  • - If he can do it, we can do it.

  • - Oh it's true.

  • - If he can do it.

  • - He doesn't know anything about politics

  • and that's not shade, it's just true.

  • So it's like, we know nothing about politics, but,

  • - We can do it.

  • - We can do it.

  • - Just aspirational passionate.

  • You can't deny someone passion and aspirations.

  • - It's the land of the free,

  • so we can do what we want in America.

  • - Joel and Lia for president.

  • - Can you tell we've had too much prosecco?

  • - That's all our points Joel.

  • - Yeah, that's all BBC America - We've said it all.

  • - have to say for themselves.

  • I have nothing else to say.

  • - I have nothing else to say.

  • - Well we'd better wrap it up.

  • - We'd better. - Thanks for tuning in guys.

  • - Thanks for tuning in!

  • If you're enjoying vlog-mas, then don't forget to like

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  • - Send them a Joel and Lia video.

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  • - Watch these. - give these guys

  • - Guys you need to - Guys,

  • - watch Being British. - Joel and Lia,

  • - Joel and Lia.

  • - They are so funny.

  • They, those I'm just an old broad, this is Maggy.

  • I'm just an old broad, you're like,

  • - You're just babies. - you little teeny-boppers,

  • you babies, you are, babies, I can't believe you're real.

  • (laughing)

  • - Maggy. - Maggy.

  • - We love you, miss you.

  • Maggy is a viewer we met

  • when we were in New Jersey, - Jersey.

  • - just so you know.

  • If we've met you guys, we always talk about you.

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  • - So maybe that's something... - It's a positive.

  • - Yep.

  • - Come back next time guys.

  • - See you soon. - See you soon.

  • - Bye. - Bye.

(upbeat music)

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