{"id":719,"date":"2021-11-10T09:38:51","date_gmt":"2021-11-10T09:38:51","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2023-09-05T14:11:59","modified_gmt":"2023-09-05T06:11:59","slug":"what-is-singles-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magazine.circledna.com\/what-is-singles-day\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Singles\u2019 Day? An Overview"},"content":{"rendered":"

Have you heard of Singles\u2019 Day? It takes place on November 11th. As the holiday season approaches, many people in Western countries gear up for gift shopping<\/a> on Black Friday.<\/p>\n

Shopping holidays such as Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day aren\u2019t huge in all countries. Black Friday is not a huge deal in China, for example. Singles\u2019 Day is China\u2019s alternative to Black Friday. <\/strong>Let\u2019s dive into what Singles\u2019 Day is all about.<\/p>\n

What Exactly is Singles\u2019 Day?<\/h2>\n

As you might have inferred, Singles\u2019 Day is a day that celebrates people who are not in relationships.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Singles\u2019 Day is an unofficial Chinese holiday on November 11th<\/strong>, which was created by University students from Nanjing University in 1993 who wanted to celebrate the single life. The news spread, and it quickly became widely known in China.<\/p>\n

Now, Singles\u2019 Day is a nationwide phenomenon that is also known as Double 11 (\u53cc\u5341\u4e00 or shu\u0101ng sh\u00ed y\u012b), Bachelors\u2019 Day, or 11.11.<\/p>\n

Singles\u2019 Day always falls on the 11th of November. The date 11.11 was chosen because the number \u20181\u2019 looks like a bare stick, which is a Chinese slang (\u5149\u68cd\u8282 or gu\u0101ng g\u00f9n ji\u00e9) that refers to an unmarried man who does not add branches to his family tree.<\/p>\n

Singles\u2019 Day is not to be confused with Singles Awareness Day<\/a> on the 15th of February, or \u00a0United Kingdom\u2019s Singles\u2019 Day<\/a> on the 11th of March.<\/p>\n

Fun fact: Although Singles\u2019 Day was created for the singles, it is an extremely popular date to get married in China due to the auspicious date. Eleven is known as being a lucky number<\/strong>, so getting married on the eleventh day of the eleventh month is a popular wedding date choice.<\/p>\n

\"circlemagazine-circledna-single's-day\"<\/figure>\n

How Singles\u2019 Day is Celebrated<\/h2>\n

How do singles celebrate this popular unofficial holiday? Singles\u2019 Day is a day where China\u2019s singles splurge on themselves, indulge in self-care and push back against societal pressure to be in a relationship.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Chinese singles often spend Singles\u2019 Day relaxing at home alone doing something they enjoy or organising a night out with their single friends. Funnily enough, many couples also celebrate 11.11 by going out on dates.<\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019re staying home, hanging out with friends, or going on a date for Singles\u2019 Day, one thing\u2019s for sure: You should make full use of this opportunity to treat yourself.<\/p>\n

With all the shopping done on Singles\u2019 Day, many brands decided to capitalise on it. And let us tell you, Singles\u2019 Day sales have been putting Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Boxing Day sales to shame.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Singles\u2019 Day Sales and Singles\u2019 Day as a Shopping Holiday<\/h2>\n

The influx of Singles\u2019 Day sales started in 2009, after China\u2019s biggest e-commerce site, Alibaba, hosted its first 11.11 sale.<\/p>\n

They offered free shipping and discounts of over 50 per cent on merchandise, and sales reached record heights. In 2020<\/a>, Alibaba\u2019s gross merchandise value over the 11-day Singles\u2019 Day promotional period reached 74.1 billion dollars, almost double that of 2019.<\/p>\n

Singles\u2019 Day is so big that Taylor Swift was the headliner of Alibaba\u2019s campaign in 2019.<\/p>\n

In our current climate, especially with the pandemic<\/a>, online shopping is at an all-time high. Now, you can see countless brands and e-commerce platforms offering promotions on all sorts of items including electronics and clothing.<\/p>\n

With globalisation and the use of social media, Singles\u2019 Day is now celebrated internationally, particularly in Southeast Asia, with retailers offering their biggest discounts of the year.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s not to say it\u2019s uncommon in Western countries. Big names like ASOS, Urban Outfitters, and Nike also run Singles\u2019 Day sales.<\/p>\n

How to Prioritise Yourself this Singles\u2019 Day<\/h2>\n

If you want to take part in celebrating Singles\u2019 Day, here are some things you can do to treat yourself and pamper yourself:<\/p>\n

Take a day off<\/strong><\/h3>\n

This year, 11.11 falls on a Thursday. So if you\u2019re planning to have a self-care<\/a> day this Singles\u2019 Day, you might as well take both Thursday and Friday off to have a good break. You can spend your long weekend doing whatever you want: sleeping in<\/a>, finding a new hobby, or simply unwinding.<\/p>\n

Treat yourself to your favourite food<\/strong><\/h3>\n

There\u2019s no better day to indulge in all your favourite dishes<\/a> than on Singles\u2019 Day. After all, it is a day that\u2019s all about self-love and self-care. If you enjoy cooking, challenge yourself with a multi-course meal to make yourself feel like a princess at home. For those that don\u2019t cook, there\u2019s always delivery or dine-in. Make sure you don\u2019t skip out on your favourite cocktail or dessert either!<\/p>\n

Go out and explore<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Now that you have extra time, you can also go on a solo adventure: You can visit that new cafe you\u2019ve been dreaming about or spend some time in nature. Whatever you decide to do, make sure you soak in the company of yourself and get comfortable with taking yourself out on dates.<\/p>\n

Netflix and chill<\/strong><\/h3>\n

TV-lovers will agree that there are few activities that beat binge-watching your favourite TV show. It can be difficult to set aside guilt-free time to watch an old favourite or a new TV series, so why not spend Singles\u2019 Day doing just that? Grab some popcorn, pop on a face mask, and kick your feet up.<\/p>\n

\"circlemagazine-circledna-single's-day\"<\/figure>\n

Meet up with your single friends<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Extroverts, don\u2019t worry\u2013we\u2019ve got something for you too: You can round up your single friends for a get-together (if Covid<\/a> restrictions allow). Depending on everyone\u2019s preferences, it may end up being a day in, day out, night in, or night out. Wherever you are, allow yourself to let loose and unwind, but remember not to go too wild!<\/p>\n

Take advantage of the Singles\u2019 Day sales<\/strong><\/h3>\n

And of course, you can\u2019t forget about the huge Singles\u2019 Day sales. Be it online or brick-and-mortar shopping, this is truly one of the best times of the year to shop \u2018til you drop.<\/p>\n

CircleDNA<\/a> is joining in on the Singles\u2019 Day sales with a huge discount on our Premium Test Kits<\/a>. If you\u2019re interested in purchasing one to learn more about yourself from the inside, now is the best time to do so!<\/p>\n

The Takeaway<\/h2>\n

There\u2019s something for everyone during Singles\u2019 Day thanks to globalisation and the internet. In recent years, it\u2019s definitely seen more as a shopping holiday than a holiday for singles.<\/p>\n

What are you waiting for? It\u2019s the best time to buy the gadget you\u2019ve been eyeing, stock up on essentials, and give yourself a treat!<\/p>\n

There are many participating brands and websites, so your best bet is to look up their Singles\u2019 Day campaigns to find out more.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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