Every November 11 is celebrated as Singles’ Day, a date designed to vindicate self-love and celebrate personal independence. Far from being a bitter contrast to Valentine’s Day, this day has become a symbol for those who prefer to enjoy their own company and value the freedom of being without a partner.
Although it has not yet reached the popularity of other festivities such as Friend’s Day or Valentine’s Day, the celebration has gained ground in recent years and is spreading to different countries around the world, driven by social networks and large online shopping platforms.
Why is Single’s Day celebrated on November 11?
Singles’ Day is commemorated on 11/11, a date chosen for its symbolism: the four numbers “1” visually represent single people. This number game eventually became a graphic representation of singleness and individuality.
What began as a day of humor and introspection in Asia has transformed into a global phenomenon. Over the years, November 11 has evolved from a nod to personal independence to a true celebration of emotional autonomy.
The origin of Single’s Day: from China to the World
The history of Single’s Day has its roots in China, where in 1993 a group of students from Nanjing University decided to create an alternative to Valentine’s Day. In a society marked by social pressure towards early marriage, these young people wanted to reclaim singleness as a time of satisfaction and freedom, without stigmas.
The initiative became known as “Guanggun Jie” (which literally means “Naked Sticks Day”, alluding to singles) and quickly spread throughout the country. With the rise of the internet, the date became popular beyond Asia, becoming an international celebration of self-love.
How Single’s Day is celebrated today
As time went by, Singles’ Day ceased to be just a symbolic day to become a commercial phenomenon as well. Since 2009, the Chinese company Alibaba began to promote big discounts on November 11, giving rise to the largest shopping event in the world, with sales that exceed even Black Friday and Cyber Monday combined.
Beyond the offers, the date is also celebrated with gatherings among friends, dinners, karaoke, gift exchanges and typical dishes such as youtiao, a kind of Chinese churros that symbolize, by their elongated shape, single people.
