Pesce d'Aprile

For Italians, the first of April marks the celebration of "Pesce d'Aprile" (literally April’s Fish), and antics are very similar to those you know for April Fools' Day. Practical jokes and hoaxes are common across the country on 1st April, but why is there a fish in the name of the Italian day? The traditional kids’ (and very often adults’ too!) prank for Pesce d'Aprile involves the taping of a cutout of a small fish (pesciolino) to someone's back. Then the exchange would go: L'hai visto? (Have you seen him/it?) Chi? (Who?) Il pesce d'Aprile! (The April’s fish/fool!) Obviously the person with the ‘pesciolino’ taped to his back is the fool. Poverino! Here’s a genuine Italian 'pesciolino' of your very own to print out, cut out and enjoy hours (well, minutes) of innocent fun.

The origins of April Fools' Day across the world are disputed, but many believe it dates back to when the Georgian calendar was adopted and many resisted the change; the term may have been used to refer to someone who still stood by the old Julian calendar. Another theory is that those who planted crops before May 1, the traditional first day of summer, was an April fool. Whatever its origins, the day is still widely celebrated across the world in surprisingly similar ways.

So, do you have any Pesce d'Aprile jokes planned? Don't worry—I won't let the fish out of the bag!

French 1st April postcards from the beginning of XX century

Befana Day

La Befana is one of Italy's oldest and most celebrated legends. Each year on January 6 the children of Italy awaken in hopes that La Befana has made a visit to their house. This is a significant day to Italians because it marks the end of the Christmas season and the day that the three Wise Men arrived at the manger of the Christ child. Over the years the Epiphany has often been a more celebrated holiday for the children of Italy than even Christmas.

According to the legend, the three Wise Men were in search of the Christ child when they decided to stop at a small house to ask for directions. Upon knocking, an old woman holding a broom opened the door slightly to see who was there. Standing at her doorstep were three colorfully dressed men who were in need of directions to find the Christ child. The old woman was unaware of who these three men were looking for and could not point them in the right direction. Prior to the three men leaving, they kindly asked the old woman to join them on their journey. She declined because she had much housework to do. After they left she felt as though she had made a mistake and decided to go and catch up with the kind men. After many hours of searching she could not find them. Thinking of the opportunity she had missed, the old woman stopped every child to give them a small treat in hopes that one was the Christ child. Each year on the eve of the Epiphany she sets out looking for the baby Jesus. She stops at each child's house to leave those who were good small treats in their stockings and those who were bad a lump of coal (nowadays 'carbone dolce', a rock candy that looks remarkably like coal).

My daughter loves this tradition and, although she knows now that La Befana is actually her mother, she doesn't miss hanging her stocking up. We’ll see tonight if she's been good or not... Happy Befana Day!