I asked this in the "Lounge", curious what the general consensus was. I said:

I'm wondering... if you're going to someone's house, when you walk in the door, is the first thing you do is take off your shoes? Do you take off your shoes in your own home? Does it depend on if you know the person, like it's a friend or family or not?

(this probably seems pretty stupid, but for the longest time, when I was younger, I always noticed on TV how people never took off their shoes, and thought it was an 'American thing" LOL ... Then when I finally knew someone who was American, I asked him, and he said NO WAY would he take off his shoes in someone's house that he didn't know. I just thought that was bizarre, and have always wondered if it's a common thing)

Anyways, now that I have access to all you wonderful people, I have a good way to find out this thing that has bothered me forEVER!

I personally think that is IS a normal thing that we do in Canada, but... hey... I haven't been everywhere, so I'd like to know what you guys do. So, I'm making the same poll, to ask you Canadians specifically!

I can't imagine going into someone's house (especially someone I don't know) and NOT taking my shoes off!!!! That blows my mind that people will do that...I find it quite rude!! Interesting...I never thought about whether or not it might just be a Canadian thing. I know my relatives in Germany have a basket of slippers by their door and it is expected that you take off your shoes and put slippers on. (they are clean).

Now I'm going to lose sleep over this Argon!!! Thanks!! LOL>

What was the outcome for the American poll? (if there was one!?).

Check it out! I know about the losing sleep thing, LOL! Imagine agonizing over this for 15 years!

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=19055

Check it out! I know about the losing sleep thing, LOL! Imagine agonizing over this for 15 years!

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=19055

OMIGAWD!!!! I just read that thread. I'm SHOCKED!!! I know people are different and cultures are different etc and I'm actually very open-minded and into diversity...etc etc but I'm really quite shocked at the number of people who don't take off their shoes when entering someone else's house!!!!! I mean, I don't give a rat's ass whatcha do in your own house...but in someone elses??? Just to assume it's okay not to??? WOW!! I just can't get over that! Like I don't have enough going on in my life to think about!! LOL Tks Argon!!

I mean...we just had our house built in Oct 05 and once we moved in we still had all types of labour type folks coming in to do stuff (plumbers, construction workers, painters, inspectors, duct cleaners etc) and they ALL take off their work boots/shoe either on our stoop or in our foyer....NO QUESTIONS asked!!!! AUTOMATIC.

Just one more reason I THANK GOD that I live in Canada!!!!!!!!

Hi All!

Yes I take my shoes off and so does everyone else who comes through my front door. It is just being polite. I do think it may have something to do with our weather. Since we wear boots a good part of the year and deal with snow and slush for a lengthy period of time - it makes sense that it would be part of the equation.

I would be appalled if people did not take off their shoes!

The mess!

Of course there are always any number of pairs of shoes at the front door and it does get to be a problem at times!

Put up a sign that says "Dont step on the grass." and somebody's bound to do it. *takes off her shoes and walks in the canadian grass*

(Canadians do have a sense of humor, don't they?)

*****ALERT*****ALERT***** ALERT*****

AMERICAN!!!!!!! Save your carpets, lock the door!

just buggin' ya Pnut.... I think I do

Yep......we do have a sense of humour Pnut.......no doot aboot it....its not so funny though when the igloo melts or the hockey stick breaks.

Carol :canada:

Woodys, don't even get me started!

What's even worse... when your Huskies run away, and there's nothing to pull the sled!

Hey everyone.

I'm a dual citizen, (but a really proud canuck!:canada: ) and when I lived in the US I was constantly teased (lovingly) that I was so funny about manners. People thought it was "cute" that I always took my shoes of at the door etc.

I was so surprised by this, cause like all of you I figured that was kind of a given. lol

Guess even our close neighbours have some big cultural differences when you really think about it. (oh. pardon me. I mean ABOOT it.) Hahahaha

I bet there are probably some things they do, that we don't...

My dad said he noticed when he moved up north that people were really open about discussing how much money they made, (or how little) and he said back in the US, he was not used to people talking about the exact numbers because it was considered personal. Strange.

Anyway,

What a fun poll. Good thinking.

Sunshine

Lol omg these posts made me laugh. My best friend is an American so I could never bash America....it's a great country!...However....the questions that I have been asked...being Canadian and all is just ridiculous.

Granted some of those questions were asked by teenagers when I was younger but I remember my sister and I being asked..." Do ya'll eat with utensils or your hands?"...lol...as well as..."Do ya'll have electricity and ride dog sleds?"

Sometimes I wonder if people that aren't from Canada honestly assume that Canada is a little town and we all know "Bob from Canada."

Not so much Americans...but far away other countries.

In answer to the poll...I would never leave my shoes on in someone else's house....unless they lived in a mud hut of course.

Sometimes I wonder if people that aren't from Canada honestly assume that Canada is a little town and we all know "Bob from Canada."

Not so much Americans...but far away other countries.

hehehe that made me laugh

sorry im not Canadian but Aussie

Australian's barely wear shoes ...... Infact we hop around on our kangaroos that roam freely in our streets ,Koala's live in our backyard trees and the Desert is just down the road,we never work and always say G'day put another shrimp on the barbie lol or so i have been told from majority of people overseas lmao :) :Banane55:

sorry for butting in have a great day :Banane46:

krispy,

LOL I loved your post.

Yep......we do have a sense of humour Pnut.......no doot aboot it....its not so funny though when the igloo melts or the hockey stick breaks.

Carol :canada:

I lived in Canada for almost 2 years at one point. I found it pretty funny that SO MANY Canadians thought that Americans thought everyone up there lives in igloos. WE DON'T! I haven't met one person who thought that yet.

Sometimes I wonder if people that aren't from Canada honestly assume that Canada is a little town and we all know "Bob from Canada."

Not so much Americans...but far away other countries.

I had to add my two cents here, too. I have gotten that question MANY times since coming back to the states, "Hey, do you know Angie, she lives in Canada." At first, I'm shocked that they'd ask that, but guess what? I have known that person EVERY SINGLE TIME I get asked that question. It's a VERY strange coincidence. Shocks the heck out of me every time.