Happy Pepero Day!

Today is a special day! It November 11th! or 11-11-2011
It's Pepero Day in Korea!

So I don't live in Korea any more but I still remember this day very well. Its the day that all my precious students game me Pepero. And for anyone who does not know what Pepero is, think of it like Korean Pocky. No it does not taste any different. And for those of you who do not know what Pocky is...there may be no hope...Pocky is a cookie stick dipped in chocolate, and or various sorts of sweet flavors.
This day acts like the Korean version of Valentines day, though they celebrate that too. The choice gift of this day is, unsurprisingly, sticks and boxes of Pepero especially among children and close friends and couples. Though more recently the candy companies and Koreans alike are using this holiday as an excuse to give larger chocolate gifts to one another much like the heart shaped boxes you see in stores on valentines day. You see this especially among couples.

This day is prefaced by monumental structures in all the grocery stores with stacks of Pepero and other chocolate goodies. The prime benefactor, Lotte. They are the maker of Pepero and a vast amount of other Korean products.

Why today? Well it is said that 11/11 looks like 4 long Pepero sticks. And as Korea lore has it, several middle schools girls began this tradition of giving Pepero sticks to one another saying 'May you grow as tall and slender as a Pepero stick.' Though more recently people have been more health conscious about the holiday and have tried to influence giving healthier snacks.