Pretty much, for a long time Christmas celebrations were outlawed in Massachutes.
I lived in Britain for ten years, the Carter-Reagan years, in English communities - typically not very far from US military installations, but not next door, either.
Brits love an excuse for a barbeque, so we were invited to a few (“Come over! It’s the Fourth of July!”) but as Yanks we tended to meet up with other Yanks at the base and watch fireworks, see large jets fly overhead, etc. Such events were always open to the public and you would see tons of English folks milling around. The occasional joke about “good riddance to you guys.” That’s about it. A lot of military bases, like Mildenhall in Suffolk, or Upper Heyford in Oxon, would have air shows around that time, which tend to attract as many if not more Brits to the festivities.
I also remember seeing some mention of it on the news, usually followed by a clip of the president hanging out with the prime minister, as if to say “See, everything’s cool now!” CND and peaceniks would usually conduct some protest but never anything OTT.
I always found OAPs to be particularly fond of Americans, as they all seemed to have known a Yank soldier who was stationed in England during the war. When I last was in the UK - March 2003 (or was it '04? I think it was '03) - it was the first time I’d ever thought that the general tone towards America had changed (it should be noted that this was exactly when the war started).
I don’t think that most Americans realize that for most of the period of the American Revolution on through and past the War of 1812, Britian was at war with Spain or France or both. (And I’m not real clear on the details myself, being American.) I do think we Americans tend to think the American Revolution was pretty much the only thing going on at the time (well, it was for us!) so it’s hard to recognize that it was only one of a number of things preoccupying Mother Britian.
Personally, I have no expectation that Brits know anything about American Independence Day. I know nothing about British national holidays or other Commonwealth holidays – well, except for Guy Fawkes Day (sometime in November, right?). Do you have Restoration Day? Magna Carta Day? Anne Boleyn Lost Her Head Day? I wouldn’t know. 
I love ABLHH-Day. All the family gather round and we inflate a pig’s bladder and kick seven shades out of it. Then there’s a parade with all the people holding cabbages dripping with beetroot juice aloft shouting and cheering. And finally the day culminates when the Queen addresses the nation in the nude astride a white charger. It’s truly magnificent, gor blimey guv’nor up the apple and pears rosey-lee gotta pick a pocket or two. 
Doesn’t register one little bit. I’ve known why the Americans have a holiday on that day since forever, so do most of us, but really, you Ain’t All That. We pay more attention to some guy trying and failing to blow up the King and the Lords and Commons, and not very much attention even to that. But if I was over there on the Fourth, I’d accept a beer and watch the marching bands and fireworks with every enjoyment. George III may have mourned the loss of the Colonies on his deathbed, but we long since got over it.
While you’re at it, can you take back this Katie & Peter crap too? I’m getting tired of avoiding them on E!
Why not? We have the same small displays here, and I’ve always assumed they were aimed at the small resident ex-pat community, mainly ex-servicemen who had been located at airbases here (see Hippy Hollow’s post).
I’m not in the UK, but FWIW to most Aussies and Kiwis July 4 is just the day between July 3rd and July 5th, with nothing special about it.
I am genuinely surprised that Guy Fawkes’ Day/Night isn’t celebrated here in Australia- you’d think it’s exactly the sort of thing the Aussies would go on for, given that it’s celebrating someone trying to blow up Parliament… 
Except that it’s a celebration of his failure!!
Depends how you look at it- remember, this is a country where Ned Kelly is regarded as a folk hero by many people.
I think it depends on where you went to school. Here in CA, people seem (a little bit) more ignorant about it; where I grew up, about a 30 minute drive from the White House, we had every detail of the story of the noble Americans vs. the evil British empire hammered into our heads pretty strongly in school. Likewise for the Civil War, whose details are considered largely unimportant here.
Beckham is coming to America from Spain, not England. The only effect the whole thing has on the English game is that he can’t take the train to the national team’s practices and meetings anymore, and that it’s now pretty much impossible for him to play against an English club (ie, tied to a city rather than the players’ nation of origin) team with anything significant at stake.
They’ve ruled this country with a Christian fist since they landed, so yes, that’s painfully obvious over here.
I can well imagine that near US airbases that retailers would be explicitly targetting American customers. But I’ve seen “hey it’s the 4th of July, why not have some hotdogs”-type displays in places where the American population must be close to zero.
I suppose that was kind of my point, but I didn’t make it well - to casual appearances, the American population of rural Suffolk would indeed seem to be nil, but it’s not.
I would agree, and I think the Ipswich-based GorillaMan is partially right, but more likely it’s because people in certain areas - Suffolk and Norfolk being one of the prime ones in Britain - have a great deal of exposure to Americans. Off the top of my head, there’s Bentwaters, Woodbridge, Lakenheath, Feltwell, and Mildenhall, all US-leased RAF bases in Suffolk and Norfolk (yes, I know some are closed now). In our local big town, Bury St. Edmunds, I would say anybody who had lived there more than ten years had established a connection with an American. My Trinidadian-born, ethnically Indian aunt in Bury is fond of a lot of American foods, which she came to appreciate just by living in proximity to Yanks. My mates had gotten used to the thicker American style ice cream instead of the usual Wall’s fare you find in the local Sainsbury’s. So I imagine there are probably these types of displays in places like Bury, or Thetford, where the UK-born populace have gotten used to some of the American traditions without necessarily having more than a passing association with Americans.
Not to mention the large number of British civilians who work on the bases, or in industries that support the mission of the bases.
It used to mean a holiday for my sister’s boyfriend. The firm he worked for was in Northern Ireland, but did technical support for the US (Northbrook IIRC) and they got no UK bank holidays, but all the US hols like Thanksgiving and 4th July 
A great deal of patriotic fervour and flag-waving is just what you chaps need. You’re so down on yourselves that I think it’s good to have a day when you can truly celebrate the successes of your nation without humility.
When my parents lived in the US, on the fourt of July they used to go and have a picnic with other British expats, and play a game of cricket. Very rude I thought. But funny.
As an American, I think this is pretty funny too and I don’t think that anyone (that I know at least) would have considered it rude. The 4th is all about getting together with friends and having a good time.
Rather appropriate actually jjimm, considering that George Washington was a cricket fan, even playing a bit himself!
In fact, this (slightly tongue in cheek) Guardian article blames cricket as responsible for the American revolutionary victory… 
The expat American community and friends hold an Independence Day celebration in Oslo every year. I’m a member of a club that is mostly displaced Yanks, but we have some folks from other English-speaking countries as well, including at least a couple Brits. We have our bit to do at the celebration and the Brits pitch in and party with us. Other than a couple speeches, after all, it’s just a big party. Chili! Chocolate chip cookies! Watermelon eating contests! Slow-pitch softball! What’s not to love?
(Oslo area Dopers: Sunday 1 July, 12-5, Frognerparken. If you come through the main gates, cross the bridge to the fountain area, then look to your right: you will see us and probably hear us as well! It’s free and open to all comers. More details can be found here.)
grumble July 4th is in the middle of stupid winter here. How can you have a barbeque in the middle of stupid winter?
I usually do something though, mostly for my kid who gets a bit homesick on American holidays. Last year it was red, white and blue cupcakes and we had hotdogs for dinner. Inside, cause it was freezing!
I had my flag out on the 4th for a couple of years, till someone yanked it down and threw it in the gutter.
I’ve pretty much adopted Australia Day instead. (But I still do a bit Thanksgiving for everybody.)
Cheers,
G