25 American Traditions We Don't Know Are Weird Gallery

There's no denying that life in the United States is like nowhere else on the planet. Ask almost any American, and they'll tell you that because despite our country's flaws, it's still the best place on Earth. Why? Well, because it just is! That deep love of country and patriotism is just one American tradition that we citizens of the U.S. of A may not know is weird. But it's far from the only thing we do that's a little odd to people from other parts of the world.

Beyond patriotism, there are everyday practices and traditions that are uniquely American. For instance, the restaurant experience in our country is highly unique. The moment you sit down, you're given a glass of ice water, you get unlimited refills on your coffee, soft drink, or tea, maybe you order some pumpkin pie, and when you finish your meal you tip your server and get a doggie bag full of leftovers to go. But that experience is unheard of outside of America.

Of course, our unique traditions go far beyond how we eat and drink. Not sure which all-American things are bizarre to other countries and cultures? Get ready to have your mind blown!

Even when it isn't Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, or Flag Day, you're likely to see American flags flying on front porches and people boldly declaring that America is the best nation on the planet. Why? It just is! Over-the-top patriotism, from singing the national anthem at sports games to saying the Pledge of Allegiance in schools, is unusual in the developed world.

Go to any restaurant in America and ask for a glass of water or a soda. It will come with a massive amount of ice in the cup. But if you go abroad, beverages are kept at room temperature and delivered that way. But Americans, we like our glasses filled to the brim with ice.

Pumpkin is an all-American crop, and it fills fall tables here in a way that few other countries truly understand. No Thanksgiving table is complete without pumpkin pie, grocery store shelves are stocked to the brim with pumpkin spice products, and we even serve this particular squash in savory ways. To say Americans are nuts about pumpkin is a bit of an understatement.

The over-commercialization of Christmas hasn't just affected Christians in America, it has found its way into Hanukkah celebrations. In reality, Hanukkah is a pretty minor Jewish holiday, but its proximity to Christmas has led to American Jews giving eight days of presents to each other in addition to lighting the menorah and frying latkes.

Every February 2, Americans watch with bated breath to see if a certain groundhog in Pennsylvania will see his shadow or not. If he sees his shadow, we have six more weeks of a long, frigid winter. If he's shadow-less, spring will come sooner rather than later. But this celebration to break up the coldest months of the year is unheard of outside of the U.S. and Canada.

Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle... Santa goes by many names around the world. The American version of Santa Claus is also quite distinctive. His ever-jolly disposition, flying reindeer, and ability to endorse any number of commercial products is all-American. His love of milk and cookies is also an American twist on this iconic character. Other countries around the world leave out different things for Santa.

Go to pretty much any other country in the world, and things will be measured in meters, grams, and Celsius. But once you step foot into the United States, it's all about ounces, feet, and Fahrenheit. This measuring system is as American as apple pie, and though there was a major push to get the U.S. on the metric system in the 1970s, it didn't stick for the general populace, though metric is still used for scientific and educational purposes in America.

If you aren't leaving a birthday party, holiday gathering, or office party in the United States with a bulging belly and bit of a fuzzy head, you're doing it wrong. And while food and drink play a huge role in celebrations across the world, no one knows how to overindulge quite like Americans.

Walk around your neighborhood park or go to the grocery store in the U.S., and people will just... smile and wave at you. Of course, this doesn't happen in big cities, but if you head to a charming small town or literally anywhere in the Midwest, prepare to be constantly greeted. It's just another way Midwesterners are friendlier than anyone else on the planet.

You've gone to an incredible steakhouse and had a massive strip steak and heap of mashed potatoes. Portions in American restaurants are so big, there's no way you can finish it all. The solution? A doggie bag! You just take your leftovers home and eat it for lunch the next day. But in other countries, taking your food to-go is embarrassing.

No Halloween is complete in the United States without youngsters going door-to-door, pillowcases in hand, and begging strangers for miniature chocolate bars and other various candies. But outside of America, trolling the neighborhood for free sweets and treats is unheard of.

The biggest food holiday in America isn't Thanksgiving or Christmas, it's Super Bowl Sunday. This singular sports game gets the biggest ratings of any TV event of the year, and people throw massive Super Bowl parties with all sorts of indulgent, unhealthy treats like chicken wings, pizza, dips, and barbecue. But no one outside this country cares about the Super Bowl, because they don't care about football.