The annual Chinese holiday represents the perfect opportunity for you to treat yourself…
Singles Day, known in Chinese as 光棍节 (Guanggun Jie) and also referred to as Double 11 or 11.11, is an unofficial holiday and shopping season in China that honours those who are not in relationships. While it was initially intended as a jab at those in committed relationships, it quickly evolved into a day about loving yourself and appreciating the people in your life.
Singles’ Day occurs annually on November 11th, a date represented by four ‘1’s to symbolize single individuals. The annual celebration first started in the 1990s when a group of college students at Nanjing University in China decided to celebrate being single, eventually coining the term Singles Day as a kind of antithesis to the romantically charged Valentine’s Day.
Origins
Singles Day was originally termed Bachelors’ Day when it was first created in 1993. It was intended as a light-hearted celebration for single people to treat themselves and revel in their single status. The idea spread through the university then spread to several other universities in Nanjing during the 1990s before the idea eventually made its way into wider society. Over time, it has slowly evolved into a significant commercial holiday, where singles show their pride and participate in what has become the largest shopping holiday of the year worldwide. The focus is not just on celebrating singlehood but also on self-gifting and enjoying special offers and discounts available during this period.
Today
The event is not an officially recognized public holiday in China, although it has become the largest offline and online shopping day in the world. Just how big? Well, Singles’ Day had sales as high as $25 billion (£20bn) back in 2017. And, this grew to $157bn (£128bn) in 2022, according to Queue It, making it one of the biggest global festivals in terms of spending.
It’s grown so big, especially in the last few years, because a variety of online retailers and e-commerce platforms have begun to offer significant discounts and promotions, similar to Black Friday sales in North America. Still, whether you’re happily single or in a relationship, Singles’ Day represents the perfect opportunity for you to treat yourself to some well-deserved self-love.
When is Singles’ Day 2023?
Singles’ Day is always held on November 11, which means this year it will be on Saturday November 11, 2023.
Happy Shopping!
