Why Pineapple Day? An Anthropological Treatise
We've all heard about the Iowa phenomenon "Pineapple Day." It sprung up in the latter half of the 20th century, and has since spread across America, gaining popularity largely with the teen and young adult crowds. But what sparked the creation of this holiday? Why did it endure for so many years? And how did it become so popular that 50,000 teenagers across the country exchange oranges on April 12?
To fully explore the social circumstances of this story, we must begin where the legend does, at the "prima connaitre." Iowa, in 1956, where the legend maintains that "Bob the Pineapple," a space explorer, had just returned from his travels. When he set out to find his romantic partner, "Cindy the Orange," he found out that she had eloped with another fruit. Eventually, Cindy comes back to Bob, and they live happily ever after.
Any interpretation of this story, and its resulting cultural phenomena, must begin with the imagery of the pineapple. A pineapple is oblong and spiky, with leafy greens on the top. This is an obvious allusion to the spaceship on which "Bob" travelled, especially in contrast to the meaning of the orange. An orange is smaller than a pineapple, round and dark yellow in color, and it traditionally connotes love or romance, as well as friendship in certain Southwestern cultures. However, in this case, it has come to represent the interaction between two would-be romantic partners, as evidenced by the traditional exchange of oranges on Pineapple Day, April 12.
In conclusion, this phenomenon has probably gained popularity in recent decades due to the whimsical nature of its story. American children, especially college students, have historically sought out opportunities to reject mainstream consumerism, and Pineapple Day is a handy replacement for Valentine's Day, occuring just two months later. This phenomenon may only be widely practiced in the under-35 demographic, but it will clearly become more popular as that generation ages.
Copyright: Dr. Jonathan Palder, 2005
