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Compare traditions and habits of

Canada with traditions and habits of

the USA

Kultúra anglofónnych krajín

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Introduction

customs and traditions in Canada and USA

• brought to the country by the millions ofimmigrants

•

 were part of the native culture when thesepeople arrived.

• Each area of the country and each ethnic grouphave their own tradition and custom.

•

difficult to determine one or several customs thatare practiced in the same way all across thecountry

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contents

• Social customs in USA / Canada

• Dressing habits in USA/ canda

• Eating habits in USA/ Canada

• traditions in USA and Canada

•

Easter• Haloween

• Thanksgiving

• Christmas

• Other events

• Conclusion

• Activities

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Social customs

• Americans often greet total strangers, particularly in small towns and communities.

• If someone asks ‘How are you?’, it’s usual to reply ‘Fine thanks’ (even if you feel dreadful). 

• Americans generally dislike formality or any sort of social deference due to age or position,

• To Americans, informality shows no lack of respect e.g. if someone is introduced as Richard heusually quickly adds ‘Please call me Rick 

• defer to people with a professional title which has been earned. These include foreign diplomats(e.g. Sir), members of the Senate (Senator) or Congress (Congressman/Congresswoman), judges,

medical doctors and others with a doctorate, military officers (e.g. General, Colonel), professors,priests and other religious ministers (e.g. Father, Rabbi, Reverend).

• Guests are normally expected to be punctual, with the exception of certain society parties, whenlate arrival is de rigueur  (provided you don’t arrive after the celebrity guest). It’s usual to arrive halfan hour to an hour after the official start of a dance

• If you’re invited to dinner, it’s customary to take along a small present, e.g. flowers, a plant,chocolates or a bottle of wine (but nothing extravagant

• Some families say grace before meals, so follow your host’s example before tucking in. 

• most Americans don’t eat with a knife and fork like ‘normal’ people. When not eating with theirhands they usually eat everything with a fork held in the right hand (unless left-handed)

When saying goodbye, it isn’t customary to shake hands again, although some people do

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Social customs in Canada

• Don't be surprised when strangers talk to you!

• You will find that many Canadians will smile at

you as they pass in the street, or say

something to you like 'Hi' or 'How's it going?'

• When you visit someone’s home, you always

remove your footwear inside the entrance.

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Dressing habits

• Although many foreigners have the impression that Americans are relaxed andcasual in their dress, they often have strict dress codes.

• In the puritanical New England states, people usually dress conservatively andmore formally than in most other regions. This is particularly true of officeworkers, who are usually expected to wear a suit and tie (and have short hair).

• In the east, casual wear (jeans or casual trousers, open-necked shirt) is acceptable

for the beach or the garden but is unacceptable in many restaurants.• In the south and west, casual dress is more acceptable, in the office and socially,

and only the most expensive restaurants insist on ties and formal dress

• Many offices have introduced a ‘dress-down’ day on one day a week (usuallyFriday), when employees may wear casual attire (although jeans may still be offlimits)

• When going anywhere that could be remotely formal (or informal), it’s wise to ask

in advance what you’re expected to wear(unless you want to stick out like a sorethumb)

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Canadian Thanksgiving 

• officially celebrated on the second Monday of October

• (Canada does not have a big shopping day after Thanksgiving)

• origins are more closely connected to the traditions of Europe than of the United States

• is more about giving thanks for the harvest season The early settlers were so pleased with their firstharvests in the new land that they had a celebration to give thanks.

• celebration is not as big in Canada as it is in the U.S. (USA Thanksgiving - the year's biggest holidayoccasion)

• people generally get together for their Thanksgiving meal on any one of the three days of this three-dayholiday weekend.Thanksgiving in Canada falls on the same day as Columbus Day in the United States

• there arent many differences between Canadian and American Thanksgiving, other than the dateBothCanadians and Americans celebrate Thanksgiving with parades, family gatherings, pumpkin pie and awhole lot of turkey

• This year, Canadian Thanksgiving falls on Monday, Oct 10, 2011.

• Similar to the United States, traditions such as parades and football can be a part of Canadian

Thanksgiving. The Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest parade is the most widely known CanadianThanksgiving Day parade and is broadcast nationwide on CTV. The Canadian Football League holds anationally televised doubleheader known as the "Thanksgiving Day Classic". It is one of two weeks inwhich the league plays on Monday afternoons, the other being the Labour Day Classic 

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Christmas

• Christmas in Canada is basically the same as Christmas inthe United States.

• Boston Christmas Tree tradition:

• started with the Halifax Explosion on December 6, 1917

•  two ships collided in the Halifax harbor and caused a largeexplosion heard over 100 Km away.

• The explosion destroyed over 325 acres of the north end ofthe city, killing over 1900 people, and injuring over 9000more.

• In response to this devastation, the people of Boston senthelp in the form of doctors, nurses, food and supplies.

• as a small token of appreciation, Canadians send a specialChristmas tree to Boston every year.

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conclusion

• Both Canada and USA are a conglomerate of culturesand traditions from all over the world. As the UnitedStates, Canada was populated with people emigratingfrom other countries searching for a better life.

• Thanks to globaliosation many american habits andtraditions are known to us, mainly from movies and tvshows

• Perhaps the only way to find out what are the habitsand traditions of usa and canada really like ist to wisitthe countries