Just like in other countries around the world, Italy also celebrates April Fool’s Day with practical jokes. Traditionally small children will often cut out small little fish and attach a piece of string and a piece of tape. Then, they will tape this fish to the back of another fellow students back. This student will then be teased: L'hai visto?—Chi?—Il pesce d'Aprile! (or Have you seen?—Who?—the April Fool!).
Like in USA, you will also hear pranks about banks being out of money or someone giving out free money or goods. Usually the day after you will hear on the radio or news who had the best joke.
When you are walking around stores it is not uncommon to see cookies or chocolates in the shape of fish. There are even Italians who will have fish for dinner. Tonight Maurizio and I will be eating fish but this is actually not on purpose but at least we will be keeping up with the others!
One particular prank that happened in Firenze in 1967, was that the Agency for the Recuperation of Abandoned Felines posted flyers throughout the city stating that all cats were banned from the city. Some say that people went as far as to throw their animals into the Arno to avoid from breaking the new law. (paraphrased from this months Florentine)
(the following is from http://italian.about.com/library/weekly/aa032801a.htm)
Including the word pesce (fish) is fairly common In Italian, no doubt due to the peninsula being surrounded by several bodies of water. Fishing, sailing, and seafood are all vital to the Italian culture, from which have sprung many piscine idioms. These terms include:
• buttarsi a pesce — to make a dive for, to begin an activity with enthusiasm
• chi dorme non piglia pesce — the early bird catches the worm
• i pesci grossi mangiano i piccini — the big fish eat the small fry
• non sapere che pesci pigliare — to be at one's wits' end (or at a loss), not to know which way to turn
• pesce grosso — bigwig, big shot
• trattare a pesci in faccia — to mistreat, to humiliate
• un pesce fuor d'acqua — a fish out of water
• un pesce lesso — a boring person
Happy April Fools Day to Everyone!
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