What started as a small initiative by Chinese students to put single people in the spotlight, has now become the largest online and offline shopping day in the world! Does shopping make single life more bearable, or is there more to this unofficial holiday? We’ll tell you what you need to know about Singles Day and - single or not - we might even have some nice offers for you!
November 11 is "Singles Day", also known as Bachelor's Day or Double 11. The initiative to celebrate singles and being single for one day a year was born at Nanjing University in 1993. The date 11-11 was chosen because the character 1 is known in Chinese as a 'bare stick' i.e. a bare branch. It symbolizes an unmarried person, someone who does not make new, flowering branches on the family tree. There are so many single people in China that Singles Day became one of the best-selling holidays in the world in no-time. Meanwhile, China doesn't even recognize it as a public holiday! Nonetheless, Singles Day gets record sales in both online and offline retail. So it seems that a day to celebrate the bachelors was not such a bad idea!
“I’m just single because of all the discounts!”
Many events such as festivals take place worldwide on this day. But a lot of stores also have special sales or various Singles Day discounts and offers. With this idea, the responsible students in 1993 hoped to break through the monotonous existence of the bachelor. And whether you're single or not, a little discount here and a party there is always nice to have, right? Singles Day stands for the celebration of life. You celebrate your life and yourself as an individual. So indulge and spoil yourself a little extra on this day! Or surprise your (single) friend(s) with a nice gift, for example an Apple Gift Card. You can’t go wrong with that!
You can count on many offers on this day, both online and physically. Online you can find plenty of Singles Day-themed websites that keep you informed about all brands and shops that offer extra discounts or other promotions on Singles Day. And keep an eye on the newsletters that you receive from your favorite stores, there will undoubtedly be great deals in there as well!
This woman is enjoying her pasta immensely because she got it cheaper on singles day. Gotta love it!
Another 'tradition' on this relatively new holiday is to try to stop being single. In China it’s a popular day to propose. But that would mean you already found someone. If that’s not the case, Singles Day is great to go on a (blind) date! If you are still looking for an excuse to ask your crush on a date, this is your ultimate chance. Make sure to check if there’s a Singles Day discount on dinner and a movie first, though!
“Hahaha look at us having an absolute blind-date blast!”
Whether or not you have a crush on someone, surprising your single self or a friend with a gift is always a great idea. Because no matter if you’re together or alone, you can always enjoy yourself with an evening of Netflix (&Chill optional). Or how about some drinks and some tunes from a fun Spotify list? You can even use our Gifting Service and send a sweet message to go with your gift card of choice.
“I have all the social contact I need, right here in the multiplayer”
If you can't win the dating game, but you’re a real player when it comes to video games, that’s okay too! Perhaps even better, just play solo on your PlayStation, Xbox or Nintendo and treat yourself with a game, gift card or subscription of your choice. Save yourself the awkwardness and anxiety of dating altogether. We feel you. No matter what your plans are, we wish you a Happy Singles Day!