I watched a video on YouTube about what people from the U.S. and Canada call certain objects. For example, the guy from Canada said macaroni and cheese is often called KD or Kraft dinner in Canada. He said rubber bands can be called rubber bands but are more commonly called elastics. He referred to rain gutters as eavestroughs, and bathrobes as housecoats (or bathrobes.) If you're from Canada, do you commonly use any of these words?
I think of housecoat as midwestern too. I've heard rubber bands called elastics but not frequently and I've never heard of mac n cheese being called Kraft Dinner (even though I ate quite a few of those as a child )
New Englander here and I have always called them elastics. My grandmother refered to a lightweight cotton short sleeved knee-length article that snapped up the front as as a housecoat. She had several of them . I think she wore them over her regular dress maybe when she was cleaning? This was in the 70s and 80s. Her background was French Canadian.
I’m Canadian and the only word that I don’t use is housecoat! I actually still say Kraft Dinner, I think they changed the branding in Canada a while ago to KD. I would only say kraft dinner if I was eating Kraft dinner and not some other macaroni and cheese. I use both rubber band and elastic band interchangeably.
It is branded as KD now, but I think most of us would still say Kraft Dinner lol. I miss the taste before they took out all the good chemicals to be honest...I would add shredded cheddar on the top. I used to say housecoat when I was younger, and say elastic.
It was first introduced under the Kraft Dinner name simultaneously in both Canada and the U.S. in 1937.
Last edited by MissJewer; 06-26-2020 at 04:25 AM..
Reason: forgot image :)
Yes, though I haven’t used housecoat often since I was a kid. and what I’d consider a housecoat is a lighter weight robe with a zipper. A bathrobe has a tie around the waist. Also, Kraft dinner is the stuff in a box. Homemade is still macaroni and cheese.
I'm from Michigan, not Canada, and say eavestroughs. When we moved to Portland, no one knew what I was talking about. "Gutters" sounds so, ecchhh.
I've seen British shows and read British books where they have used "elastics", but have never heard anyone I know say it.
When I was little we had a babysitter from Texas, and she said "housecoat", but it wasn't exactly what I could call a robe. It was woven cotten, buttoned up the from, and she wore it like a robe. No terry, no tie.
Never heard of Kraft Dinner. I appreciate the picture!
A bathrobe is what you put on over your pjs. A housecoat is for day wear around the house. It is worn over underwear. It may be buttoned or have a zipper. It is made of a cotton blend, not flannel or chenille. It never has a belted tie.
Elastics get the nod over rubber bands for me.
Along the same line, until I actually tasted it, I thought Chinese Pie (Pâté Chinois) was some type of exotic food. Imagine my surprise (as a kid) to realize the Chinese Pie my friend’s mom made was the Shepard’s Pie my mom made.
While we're at it . . . I visited Ottawa many years ago, and heard an older woman mention the chesterfield in her living room. Is that term still used, or are couch and sofa more commonly said today?
It might be like talking about a Davenport in the United States. I used to hear the word used occasionally, but not anymore.
I am Canadian too and say all those words, plus chesterfield!
I say Kraft Dinner not KD though. And I think of a housecoat as a dressing gown with a zipper and dressing gown and bathrobe are interchangeable for me.
I always say elastics...so you know those elastic balls they sell? Do Americans call them rubber band balls? That seems weird to me.
I think of a chesterfield as like an old fashioned type of couch...like your grandma would have in her "formal living" room and couch to be something more comfy and casual. So I only call certain couches "chesterfields".
Another questions...do Americans use the term loveseat? Or is that just us?
I'm from Canada and have a whole set of eavestroughs in my driveway to go up. Some of the parts are on back order so I guess I'll just sit around in my robe with my hair in an elastic. No KD for me though ...university is over!
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06-25-2020, 08:36 PM
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