April Fools Day!
In many countries, the first day of April is a day to play harmless jokes on family and friends. This usually consists of telling a far fetched story in such a way that it sounds like it could be true. When the other person falls for our joke, we exclaim, “April fool!” and have a laugh. In France, they play the same sort of jokes, but instead of saying “April fool!” they say, “poisson d’Avril!” which translates into “April fish!” One of the favorite “April fish” jokes among French children is to tape a paper fish to someone’s back without them knowing it.
To find out why these jokes are called April fish, we must go back to 1564 to the time of Charles IX. Up until this time, the New Year in France was celebrated in the spring but there was no fixed date. It could be at different times throughout the country, but in most places, the New Year began at the end of March or the first of April.
This was a time when people would bring out their spring clothing, get all dressed up, and go out into fields to celebrate the reawakening of nature – the start of a brand-new year. It was customary during these festivities to exchange small gifts, usually food and often fish. Why fish? Maybe it was because the fish is the last sign of the zodiac and the sign for this time of year. Or perhaps because it was during a time when meat was forbidden for religious reasons, so people ate seafood. Whatever the reason, fish was a popular New Year’s gift.
So, what better way to spend April fool’s day than on the river doing some fishing? Providing food for your family and enjoying the great outdoors sounds like a win! As the CDC and WHO has informed us, it is vital that we go play outside while observing safe social distancing. We need nature to keep us fresh in mind, body and spirit to avoid feeling isolated from the world! Fishing is a great activity to participate in weather with family or to experience alone.
RLVNT eyewear can help you enjoy the fishing experience even more through sight. Our freshwater series of lenses offer lightweight and glare reduction while enhancing the natural light around you. By increasing contrast and eliminating the glare, you can fish more confidently and cast your line into the right areas to catch the big fish! Take things a step further with our Chameleon freshwater lens which offers a light changing lens to help aid you in a variety of light by enhancing the contrast of colors as the light moves and changes throughout the day and environment.
Take time this April fool’s day to go play outside and enjoy the nature that is all around us. And be on the lookout for Sasquatch as he likes to fish too! Be sure to tag us in your social posts so we can see the fun you are having in the great outdoors!