PEPERO DAY 11/11/11

Wow, it's been a while since I updated this blog hasn't it!?  I have been meaning to write a post about Pepero Day since Pepero Day, but I have been so busy.... James had family visit, then we adopted a stray kitten, then I had family visit, then we bought another kitten, then we went to Hong Kong and then it was Christmas and now it is already 2012!  Well there's a little update for you all if you were at all interested.

Pepero Day is a magical annual event in South Korea which is pretty much like Valentines Day, but it is for everybody, not just couples.  Strangely enough, this momentous chocolate filled fun day occurs on the 11th of the 11th which is better known for us back home at Armistice Day.  While everyone in England (minus a few) is holding a 2 mins silence at 11am, the people of Korea are exchanging chocolate covered biscuit sticks and getting high on sugar and E-numbers.  I did make sure to hold my 2 mins silence even with the sugar rush!

As mentioned above, Pepero are chocolate filled and/or coated biscuit sticks which come in various flavours.    The story goes that the main company 'Lotte' noticed a rise in sales on the 11th November, so decided to celebrate it and market the day as 'Pepero Day' and hell has it worked!!  In the week or 2 leading up to Pepero Day, the supermarkets and mini-shops are heaving with huge Pepero displays (and more recently other chocolate/teddy's and flowers too).   This year was 2011 (or last year should I say), so I think even more of a big deal was made out of Pepero Day being 11/11/11!  I must say that I took great pleasure in eating a Pepero at 11 minutes past 11 on the 11th month of the 11th year :)

Display made out of numerous boxes of Pepero

Outside a little GS Mart

Soo many Pepero!

Arriving at school on Pepero Day morning was actually more exciting than arriving on the day of the Christmas Party...  The kids were MENTAL!  I'm sure they had already eaten a few boxes for breakfast...  James and I were spoiled rotten by our students.  Here is a picture of the Pepero (with a photobombimg kitten...or maybe I put him there, I can't remember...)  which we received before lunchtime...  more came after lunch!!

In short, I LOVE PEPERO DAY!  We NEED to have something like this in England.  Mr Prime Minister, if you are reading this, then take note and get on it!