November 11th means different things in different countries. Here in Canada it’s Remembrance Day, and in the U.S. it’s Veteran’s Day. However, 11월 11일 (November 11th!) in South Korea is Pepero Day, a sweet tradition – literally!
Written as 빼빼로 데이, Pepero Day may not be a national holiday, but it is a fun celebration shared by couples. It’s one of many romantic holidays in South Korea, along with Valentine’s Day and White Day. (There’s also, of course, Black Day which is more of an anti-romantic celebration!)
How did Pepero Day start?
In all honesty, no one seems to be 100% sure of the origins for this romantic snack-filled day. In my searching I found that some people think it dates back to two middle school girls who exchanged different varieties of the snack.
However, there is no official record of how or when this holiday tradition started.
The mystery of it all makes it even more fun to celebrate!
Why is it celebrated on November 11th?
Because there is no deep meaning behind the holiday – especially since we don’t know how it all began – you may wonder why we would celebrate Pepero Day specifically on November 11th.
I find the reason particularly cute! It’s because November 11th, when written in numeric form, is 11/11. Look at a Pepero stick and then look at the date.
Don’t the sticks look like the number one?
Wait, what’s a Pepero stick anyway?
If you’ve never had a Pepero treat before, you may wonder what they are. The snack itself is a long, skinny “stick” made of cookies or sometimes pretzels. They are then dipped in a variety of flavors.
The original, and probably best-known Pepero is dipped in chocolate. Other popular flavors include white chocolate, strawberry, dark chocolate, chocolate almond, and green tea flavors.
These days though, you can find a large variety of them, especially in Korea. There are even cheese, yogurt, latte, and other flavors you might not have imagined.
I buy my Pepero sticks from the local Korean market in my area. If you don’t have any Korean or Asian markets close by, you can try to pick some up on Amazon.
I’ve heard SeoulBox includes them often in their packages too. I’ve been meaning to try SeoulBox, so maybe I’ll sign up soon and see if I can get in on any new flavors! (Note: This post is not sponsored by SeoulBox – unfortunately! – I just hear good things about them from others who subscribe!)
How to celebrate Pepero Day
The most obvious way to celebrate is to give a box of Pepero to your sweetheart – your boyfriend, girlfriend, even your spouse. It’s a cute way to share a little love even if it’s a commercial holiday.
I mean really, I can’t complain about consumerism and commercialism when it includes a delicious treat!
However, despite the romantic ties to Pepero Day, you aren’t obligated to give it to someone you’re romantically involved with.
You can also feel free to gift the snack to your friends, your parents, your siblings, or your children. Even teachers and students will exchange Pepero boxes.
And don’t forget – the whole point of November 11th is that the Pepero sticks look like the number 1,right? So if you just want to celebrate alone you can go buy a box in every flavor just for yourself!
You only need to share if you want to!
What do you think?
Are you going to exchange a handful of Pepero sticks with a significant other, or another important person in your life (even if that person is you)? Or do you prefer to pass on commercial giving?
I think it’s a really cute and very sweet – pun intended – way to give an inexpensive gift to someone to tell them they matter to you.
Have you had Pepero sticks before?
While Pepero sticks originated in South Korea back when Lotte created them in the 1980s, their popularity has grown internationally in recent years. Perhaps it’s the increase in interest in Korean culture in general, but it’s now a multi-billion dollar industry worldwide, so there’s a good chance you’ve seen them before.
My favorite flavors are the original chocolate, dark chocolate, and yogurt dips. What’s your favorite? Make sure you let the people around you know so they can get you the right one on Pepero Day!