Today is my first experience with Korea’s excessive holidays (and of all things to overdo, I think they’ve got the right idea). For the past week I’ve noticed all the bakeries have stocked sweet breadstick-shaped pastries dipped in chocolate, often with colorful sprinkles and the words, “Because you are loved” or “I want to make you happy” on the package. I know Valentine’s and White Day aren’t for several months, so I’ve been pretty baffled. When I stopped for coffee this morning, she handed me two thin chocolate sticks and said something in Korean that sounded like, “It’s my birthday!”. I mumbled ‘kamsahamnedah’ and smiled, hoping she’d understand I didn’t know the words “happy b’day” in Korean. Turns out she actually said, “It’s Peppero Day!”, a genius marketing ploy in honor of the pastries. If you lay 4 Pepperos next to each other, it looks like today’s date: 11/11. That’s really all there is to it. Thankfully, teachers are among the Peppero recipients AND we had a birthday party, so today has pretty much ruled.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
11_11
Today is my first experience with Korea’s excessive holidays (and of all things to overdo, I think they’ve got the right idea). For the past week I’ve noticed all the bakeries have stocked sweet breadstick-shaped pastries dipped in chocolate, often with colorful sprinkles and the words, “Because you are loved” or “I want to make you happy” on the package. I know Valentine’s and White Day aren’t for several months, so I’ve been pretty baffled. When I stopped for coffee this morning, she handed me two thin chocolate sticks and said something in Korean that sounded like, “It’s my birthday!”. I mumbled ‘kamsahamnedah’ and smiled, hoping she’d understand I didn’t know the words “happy b’day” in Korean. Turns out she actually said, “It’s Peppero Day!”, a genius marketing ploy in honor of the pastries. If you lay 4 Pepperos next to each other, it looks like today’s date: 11/11. That’s really all there is to it. Thankfully, teachers are among the Peppero recipients AND we had a birthday party, so today has pretty much ruled.
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What a sweet holiday! (no pun intended).
ReplyDeleteIf I had any say in it, I vote you oughtta lay out SIX chocolate sticks, put the middle two on top of each other and slant them slightly... then it REALLY looks like 11/11. Everyone wins, right?