Random questions.

[Dizzy]

Ok, so Katy perry was on the radio and she said they don't have Christmas crackers in the US?? Is this true??! Does this mean you miss out on stupid jokes, trivia, pieces of tat and party hats when you have your food??!!

AND that you don't have pantomimes????

Is she lying?

And also, we like watching the four weddings programme and they have a US version... And ok...

#1 do all weddings in the us have cocktail hour?!?! That's amazing.
#2 do weddings really have the first dance so soon, ie when they walk into the reception room??!!!
#3 why do they all do that stupid dance when they walk in?!?!

Questions that are boggling me today.

 

[stardogs]

Yes, Christmas crackers are not very common here. Though you can sometimes find them in stores, they aren't a common part of the season for most.

And, um, what are pantomimes?

1. Not all, but the majority do have a bar of some sort at the reception.
2. I think the dance thing varies greatly. DH and I don't dance so we never had a dance, period. LOL
3. No idea what dance you're talking about!

 

[Dizzy]

Yes, Christmas crackers are not very common here. Though you can sometimes find them in stores, they aren't a common part of the season for most.

And, um, what are pantomimes?

1. Not all, but the majority do have a bar of some sort at the reception.
2. I think the dance thing varies greatly. DH and I don't dance so we never had a dance, period. LOL
3. No idea what dance you're talking about!

:yikes: :yikes: :yikes:

No crackers and no panto????!!!! Christmas would be cancelled!!!!



As for the weddings, maybe it's just the show, but every time they walk in the room they do this sort of dance walk thing, like whoop whoop we are in the house!

 

[katielou]

:yikes: :yikes: :yikes:

No crackers and no panto????!!!! Christmas would be cancelled!!!!



As for the weddings, maybe it's just the show, but every time they walk in the room they do this sort of dance walk thing, like whoop whoop we are in the house!

Why do you think I'm coming home to England for Christmas this year?

 

[Tortilla]

We have Christmas crackers here.

 

[Dizzy]

Why do you think I'm coming home to England for Christmas this year?

Seriously...

I'm shocked. I assumed everyone would do them.

HE'S BEHIIIIIIIND YOUUUUU!!!

 

[Xandra]

Crackers are out there but they aren't a staple... we've had crackers a few times at our house, Costco has them (do you have Costco in the UK?).

Pantomime? I thought that was a type of play/dance thing in the classical world??

In the weddings I've been to, the first dance is usually after dinner... so you've been in the reception room a while.

Most receptions have a bar of some sort, bonus points if its an open bar lol.

No idea about the dancey thing you're seeing on TV.

 

[crazedACD]

When you get a wedding invite here it is permissible to scowl and complain if it is to be an alcohol-free wedding . Usually there is a separate bartender and you have to pay for drinks, sometimes there is open bar!

 

[xpaeanx]

Crackers are out there but they aren't a staple... we've had crackers a few times at our house, Costco has them (do you have Costco in the UK?).

Pantomime? I thought that was a type of play/dance thing in the classical world??

In the weddings I've been to, the first dance is usually after dinner... so you've been in the reception room a while.

Most receptions have a bar of some sort, bonus points if its an open bar lol.

No idea about the dancey thing you're seeing on TV.

This exactly. And the comment right above me about scowling over dry weddings... Luckily, I think most people are smart enough to provide access to booze at a very minimum if they actually expect anyone to show up.

 

[Fran101]

1. Never heard of christmas crackers
2. Ya cocktails hours and open bars are pretty much a given. And you have every right to grumble and complain if they aren't.
3. The first dance is usually pretty lateish in the reception (usually after speeches and dinner... when the music begins).. because they don't want you to be all sweaty and partied out or drunk for the picture and it's supposed to be your FIRST DANCE as husband and wife
4. People who dance/bop down the aisle are a new kind of youtube thing.. it's not as common as you think. I surely wouldn't.

 

[Elrohwen]

No Christmas crackers :-(



1. Yes, most weddings have cocktail hour (some are only cocktail hour and no dinner, though that's not as typical). This is my favorite part - finger food and drinking! Plus no dancing! Sometimes it's the time when the couple gets their pictures taken, if they don't want to do it before the ceremony, so the guests need something to do. I took my pictures before so I could join in for the whole cocktail hour (1.5 hours in my case). I didn't want to miss the food.

2. Lots of weddings do the first dance right away. I don't remember when we did it, but I'm pretty sure the DJ insisted we do it before dinner - not sure if I listened to him or not I don't mind dancing to pop songs, but the slow stuff was not my favorite and I may have blocked most of it from my memory.

3. Yes, at most weddings I've been to, the couple and bridal party come in to a really upbeat song and kind of whoop-whoop dance, but nothing choreographed like in the youtube videos. I'm pretty sure I strolled in and waved instead. I'm not a whoop-whoop kind of girl :rofl1:

Most weddings I've been to weren't as fancy as the ones on that show, but the basic format was the same.

 

[eddieq]

I remember the Christmas crackers when I was little, but I haven't seem them in stores around here for years.

As for "cocktail hour" at wedding receptions, do you mean a separate one before the wedding reception? We had food and drinks (non alcoholic as we were still in the church) during the post-ceremony receiving line then moved to the reception hall where we had a full top shelf open bar for the entire reception.

Our "first dance" was after we had eaten, but we were "introduced" and such along with the wedding party at the beginning of the reception (well, beginning for us, everyone else had been there for nearly an hour by the time we finished with photos and got over there).

As for the "whoop whoop" dance, that's a growing trend that was "cool and different" the first time. I don't really care for it at this point, as mostly it's just everyone trying to outdo the last viral youtube video.

 

[AliciaD]

I don't know what Christmas crackers and Pantomimes are, haha.

 

[Oko]

Uhhh, no I don't see christmas crackers in store. We've made them before though. And ??? to pantomimes. *slinks away*.

 

[Beanie]

Having worked in weddings I feel like I can totally answer this LOL.

It is somewhat common to have a cocktail hour if there's going to be a long lag between your wedding and your reception; as already noted, it's often when the bridal party is taking their photos. It's basically a polite way to give your guests something to do in the one-two hours while you're busy doing photos. As an aside, this is also considered rude by a fair number of people - as in, "if I came to your wedding, don't make me sit around and wait for the rest of the day to start." It's becoming more popular for couples to take their photos before the wedding, or to take as many as possible before (all photos that don't involve the bride and groom together if they're waiting for the first look to be as the bride comes down the aisle) so they can get on with the rest of the day, celebrate with their friends and family, and not make them wait.

As for the first dance, when it happens just depends. Sometimes it's right after the couple enters. Most often a dinner reception goes like this:
- bridal party enters
- dinner
- speeches
- cake cutting, cake is served
- first dance, then rest of dancing/party starts... usually there is a father/daughter dance, sometimes there is also a special dance just for the bridal party, and then the dance floor opens for everybody.
- at some point the reception is stopped for the bouquet toss/garter throw

As to walking in "dancing" and being all woot woot, I think it's natural to walk into your wedding reception celebrating like you just won the Superbowl. Because you kinda did. So lots of people do walk in with their arms up, and often they are dancing since music is playing, so kinda yeah I guess?


Christmas Crackers are something I see more often for New Years here. Obviously not called Christmas Crackers then LOL. "Party Poppers" is what they are called.

 

[AllieMackie]

THE US DOESN'T HAVE CHRISTMAS CRACKERS AS A REGULAR THING?!

Just when I thought I had the U.S. all figured out...

We do crackers EVERY year, it's so much fun to wear the silly hats, tell the awful jokes and play with the stupid little kindertoys.

 

[release the hounds]

if your little quiz didn't already prove it, this certainly does. I'm an American WTF is a Christmas cracker?

 

[AllieMackie]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_cracker

 

[Tortilla]

THE US DOESN'T HAVE CHRISTMAS CRACKERS AS A REGULAR THING?!

Just when I thought I had the U.S. all figured out...

We do crackers EVERY year, it's so much fun to wear the silly hats, tell the awful jokes and play with the stupid little kindertoys.

RIGHT?! I thought it was a thing everywhere!

 

[AllieMackie]

RIGHT?! I thought it was a thing everywhere!

The Wiki says it's a Commonwealth thing. Now I know! WACKY.