Singles’ Day is a $150B holiday in China. Here’s why I think ‘11/11’ will catch on in the US

By: Peter McGraw, University of Colorado Boulder, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: November 4, 2025

Words: 1,206

Last Updated: 3 weeks ago

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By Peter McGraw, University of Colorado Boulder

On Nov. 11 each year, a curious holiday takes over China. What began among Nanjing University students in the 1990s as a tongue-in-cheek counter to Valentine’s Day has exploded into the world’s largest shopping event: Singles’ Day.

The date, 11/11, was chosen because the four ones resemble “bare sticks,” Chinese slang for singles. Today, the holiday generates more than US$150 billion in annual sales, exceeding those on

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