Last Thursday I sat down to the computer to write about Pepero Day.
And then, of course, I realized it was also Veterans day, and I thought better of pounding out a post based on a trival holiday that emphasizes biscuits, when in other parts of the world people were thinking more somber thoughts... Except possibly in Korea*, where they were busy selling out to consumerism and buying up Pepero brand biscuit sticks to share with their friends.
In a nutshell, Pepero is a holiday created, most suspect, by the makers of this product, though Lotte (the manufacturer) denies it. Whatever the case, someone cleverly realized that their sweet sticks look like the "one" digit, and they could play up on this fact on that calendar day that reads 11/11 (think of what fun they will have NEXT year!) And, it's somewhat suspect that, according to the Wall Street Journal (in 2006), in the two months leading up to 11/11, Lotte sells two- thirds of it's annual total of these pretzelish snacks.
Our big girls got in on this holiday via several thoughtful Korean classmates who gifted them with a full box of Pepero each. However, in Bei Bei's class sweeties and lollies are not allowed. (I LOVE that she is content to take a healthy snack every single day, and that there is no cause for concern about what anybody else is snacking on because they all have to bring in something nutriuious.) However, I also see the value in a supervised sweet snack at home sometimes, and we made a pit stop on the way home from the bus to pick up a pack of Japanese Pocky for her to munch on whilst her jie jie men dined on the Korean branded product.
* It's important to note that Korea has several days on it's own calendar to honor their military heros.
May 6th Korean Memorial Day : The day commemorates men and women who died while in military service or independence movement. It was originated from the traditional customs of Mangzhong, one of the 24 solar terms. On this day, national commemorating ceremony is held in National Cemetery.
October 1st Armed Forces Day : The day recognizes, venerates, and honors military forces of the Republic of Korea. In 1950, during the Korean War, South Korean Forces broke through the 38th parallel on October 1.
for more on Pepero See:
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