# Misconceptions about USA **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 19, 2003, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510 "2003-09-19T00:33:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510/201 "2003-09-23T13:44:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jennyrosity \* > \*\*So to get back to the OP (sort of), do you guys get really sick of turkey in the winter? I mean, you have this huge turkey based meal in November, and then, before you’ve barely had time to make the left-overs into curry, it’s yet another huge turkey based meal. I’d be suffering from like, turkey fatigue or something… \*\* OK, first off, no one in the US (well, maybe a small minority) turns the leftover turkey into curry. It becomes turkey sandwiches. Second, Christmas (I’m assuing the second big turkey meal you are referring to is Christmas) is not traditionally a turkey. Ham is much more common in my experience. Thanksgiving is the only holiday that mandates turkey. And pumpkin pie. And cranberry sauce. And stuffing. Mmmmm…Thanksgiving. As for you **jjimm** , what meat are we putting marshmallows on? Are you counting sweet potatoes as meat? If you are, are you counting peanut butter? In that case, a fluffernutter is quite delicious and marshmallows (in the form of a spread) go quite nicely with it. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510/202 "2003-09-23T13:52:56Z")
**Neurotik** , you’re serving marsmallows on sweet potatoes that are on the same plate as the meat. That’s cloes enough in my book. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gyrate \* > \*\*OTOH, cranberry sauce is sweet, and that goes well with turkey, even in sandwiches. So there. \*\* Grrr, you have foiled me. ---
**Author:** ![Jennyrosity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@Jennyrosity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennyrosity)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510/203 "2003-09-23T13:53:01Z")
Not eating turkey at Christmas makes baby Jesus cry… ---
**Author:** ![Bruce\_Daddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Bruce\_Daddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bruce_Daddy)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510/204 "2003-09-23T13:55:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jennyrosity \* > \*\*\ > > So to get back to the OP (sort of), do you guys get really sick of turkey in the winter? I mean, you have this huge turkey based meal in November, and then, before you’ve barely had time to make the left-overs into curry, it’s yet another huge turkey based meal. I’d be suffering from like, turkey fatigue or something… \*\* The turkey surplusses last about a week for us. Mmmmm, turkey and mayo sandwiches. Come on, Thanksgiving! ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510/205 "2003-09-23T14:00:09Z")
Not having a cold picnic or a bbq at the beach for Christmas makes Jesus cry…Santa also whinges about having to wear “this bloody red suit in the summer too” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510/206 "2003-09-23T14:05:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jennyrosity \* > \*\*Not eating turkey at Christmas makes baby Jesus cry… \*\* Ugh, thank _God_ Christmas turkey is not mandatory in America. In my family it’s usually roast beef or roast pork, although I really like **tanookie’s** idea of having lasagna, and plan to put it into practice if I am ever forced to take over the hostessing duties. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510/207 "2003-09-23T14:06:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jennyrosity \* > \*\*Not eating turkey at Christmas makes baby Jesus cry… \*\* Strange how we Brits think the are odd Yanks for not eating a bird at Christmas that came from America in the first place… ---
**Author:** ![Jennyrosity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@Jennyrosity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennyrosity)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510/208 "2003-09-23T14:12:24Z")
Actually, no-one in our clan particularly likes turkey either, and every year we talk about having goose or duck instead - these being far more “traditional” in any case. But every year we end up having turkey anyway. Damnit, you lot inflicted the bloody great beast on us in the first place, and now you tell me you don’t have to eat it at Christmas?! Hurumph. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510/209 "2003-09-23T14:23:50Z")
For the last several Christmases, our fam has made it a TexMex day. All from scratch: tamales, enchiladas, fresh corn tortillas, salsa out the ying yang, brisket, fidello, [chicken mole](http://www.foodiesite.com/recipes/2000-04/mole.jsp), and whatever else someone has a hankering for. [Recipes!](http://marfisa.net/food.html) Also, I always bring Key Lime Pie (already made, from your grocer’s freezer) ---
**Author:** ![Gravity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gravity/32/14322_2.png) [@Gravity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gravity)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510/210 "2003-09-23T14:25:46Z")
My (huge) family’s thanksgiving dinner, everything homemade: Biggest turkey they can find (last year - 35 lbs.) mashed potatoes stuffing (my gram calls it ‘dressing’ and we fight over the crusty bits) green bean caserole mashed butternut squash gravy green salad fresh rolls celery with cream cheese and olives lots of nibbles before hand My in-laws thanksgiving dinner: Turkey mashed potatoes green bean caserole canned yams with marshmallow topping green salad stuffing gravy For Christmas, my family is likely to have the same meal, but with leg of lamb and a beef roast instead of turkey. The in-laws have the thanksgiving meal over again. For turkey leftovers, it goes: turkey plate (just warmed up leftovers), turkey crepes, then sandwiches, then soup. ---
**Author:** ![Krisfer\_the\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Krisfer\_the\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krisfer_the_Cat)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510/211 "2003-09-23T23:46:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DrDeth \* > [B > In Europe- the think 100 miles is FAR. \*\* A friend of mine from Germany was shocked to think that we’d drive some 15 hrs from Ogden Utah to Phoenix Arizona just to meet him and a few other guys for New Years. Likewise that westerners tend to think of 14 to 18 hr trips as “close” and a days travel. I get inquiries on messenger all the time from people who think Utah is ONLY populated by Mormons. Actually its about a 50/50 split. The Mormon Church is just more vocal than any other religion here. And we have one of the largest Russian Orthodox communities this side of Russia. And a very large, active Greek Orthodox community. I live half a mile from a Catholic Church, a synagogue, a Lutheran Church and well you get the idea. I get two weeks off at Christmas this year… I don’t get paid for it though, thats what I get for working for the public school system. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510/212 "2003-09-23T23:54:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jjimm \* > \*\*Grrr, you have foiled me. \*\* Should I even mention lamb and mint sauce? ---
**Author:** ![sugaree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@sugaree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sugaree)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510/213 "2003-09-23T23:55:33Z")
For Thanksgiving, my family has homemade ravioli. I think we have a turkey or a chicken or something else on the side as well, and maybe some pies. I’m not sure, for I am too absorbed in these incredible homemade ravioli. ---
**Author:** ![Krisfer\_the\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Krisfer\_the\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krisfer_the_Cat)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510/214 "2003-09-23T23:57:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by spogga \* > \*\*I just checked some flight details and all it will cost you to fly from London or Manchester to New York is £201. > Hardly gonna break the bank is it? \*\* I wanted to go to Florence, Italy last spring. TWELVE HUNDRED DOLLARS! Thats one month’s take home pay for me. ---
**Author:** ![Krisfer\_the\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Krisfer\_the\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krisfer_the_Cat)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510/215 "2003-09-24T00:30:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by E-Sabbath \* > \*\*White Plains, a decent sized city, settled 1683ish, in the state of New York, every so often has a problem with brown bears wandering down Main Street. NYC has coyotes. There’s deer and wild turkeys and raccoons and god knows what else in the area. Jersey has bear problems too. > > \*\* Ogden in the winter has quite a lot of problems with deer. They come down to the lower slopes of the Wasatch Front and find houses instead of feeding range. I had a friend up there a couple years ago who planted “deer friendly” plants in her front yard so she didn’t accidentally harm them. We have raccons all over the place right now. Roadkill:( ---
**Author:** ![cajela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de0a6/32.png) [@cajela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cajela)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510/216 "2003-09-24T01:42:15Z")
Wow, this is a great thread. And from my first OP! I was a little worried at first when some early answers came in with “you all hate us and think we’re stupid”… The size thing is interesting - Europeans have a totally different perspective from Australians. From our POV, the US is just so incredibly full. I mean, if you drive all the way across it, you run into more than one city in the middle! It’s not empty at all by our standards - even Texas is tiny and heavily populated. And Europe is even more strangely tight-packed. As for the passports and travel costs, sorry, you guys have got no cause for complaint in my opinion. Check prices to/from Australia and then get back to me 🙂 Of course, I _can_ make my $2-3000 AUS go further by using all my 4 weeks leave. Perhaps this is why our backpackers stay OS for months or a year - they can only afford one plane fare. ---
**Author:** ![umop\_ap\_sdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/dbc845/32.png) [@umop\_ap\_sdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/umop_ap_sdn)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510/217 "2003-09-24T03:07:37Z")
Marshmallows on potatos! :eek: Give me butter or sour cream any day. Distances can be a pain - here in southern Oregon I’m several hundred miles from the nearest major city. So the US isn’t completely full (yet) but it has been completely explored and mapped by the USGS. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510/218 "2003-09-24T03:52:47Z")
Hey, I have an uncle in Grants Pass. ---
**Author:** ![cajela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de0a6/32.png) [@cajela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cajela)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510/219 "2003-09-24T04:27:44Z")
**aryk29** - What, only several hundred miles? Try Perth or Adelaide or Darwin or Brisbane or Alice Springs… Check this for distances from Perth to many places - the ones in CAPS are major cities. [http://www.geocities.com/profemery/entertainment/distance-from\_perth.html](http://www.geocities.com/profemery/entertainment/distance-from_perth.html) I mean - to Aussies, the US looks very full. To you, it looks normal. To Europeans, it look amazingly empty. ---
**Author:** ![umop\_ap\_sdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/dbc845/32.png) [@umop\_ap\_sdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/umop_ap_sdn)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510/220 "2003-09-24T04:46:06Z")
Yes, **cajela** , but that’s from major city to major city. I’m talking about from where _I_ am to a major city. I don’t know if you have Fry’s Electronics in Australia, but the nearest ones from here are in Portland and Sacramento. **Johnny L.A.** , does he live on the scenic route? 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-usa/202510.md?page=12)