LayarHijau.com—In the drama The First Frost, our main couple, Sang Yan and Wen Yifan, finally start dating on Sang Yan's birthday, January 2. A few days before the New Year, Wen Yifan and her team are assigned to cover a landslide disaster in Beiyu.
Previously, Wen Yifan had planned to spend the New Year’s holiday preparing a gift for Sang Yan’s birthday. However, before leaving, she hesitated about whether she would be able to return in time for his birthday. On the night of December 24, during a phone call, Sang Yan asked Wen Yifan to bring apples home as a gift.
Since she couldn’t return, Wen Yifan sent a sketch of an apple she had drawn. For international viewers, such as those in Indonesia, this scene might not seem particularly meaningful. However, viewers in China understand the significance of giving apples as gifts on Christmas Eve.
In China, gifting apples during this time has become a tradition symbolizing peace and hope within relationships. In Mandarin, "ping an ye," which means "peaceful night," relates to Christmas Eve, while "ping guo," meaning "peaceful fruit," refers to apples. Therefore, apples represent not just a fruit, but also a symbol of hope for a harmonious life together.
When a man being pursued by a woman requests an apple gift on Christmas Eve, it can be interpreted as a sign of appreciation for her attention. This request reflects a desire to deepen their relationship. Beautifully wrapped apples add a romantic touch, making them a thoughtful choice for celebrating special moments. Thus, apple gifts carry deep meaning, especially in romantic contexts, signaling a man's good intentions to create significant moments and hope for a peaceful future together.
Sang Yan's seemingly casual request was a signal or code for Wen Yifan. Ultimately, on his birthday, Sang Yan picked up Wen Yifan at their favorite noodle shop from high school and confessed his love. On their way home, they stopped by a fruit stall where Wen Yifan bought two apples to take home, fulfilling her promise to Sang Yan.
The First Frost is not the first drama to explore the tradition of gifting apples on Christmas Eve. Previously, the drama Love Scenery included a scene where the male lead, Lu Jing (played by Lin Yi), gives an apple to his girlfriend, Liang Chen (played by Xu Lu), on Christmas Eve. You can read more about it here.