On Mon, 1 Apr 1996, Marie-Claude Deprez-Masson wrote:
> Date: Mon, 1 Apr 1996 13:22:09 -0500
> From: Marie-Claude Deprez-Masson <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: FEAST 1 April
>
> "Poisson d'avril", would one say, when seeing so many dubious martyrs on
> this day.
>
> This old custom (poisson d'avril), linked to a change of calendary, with
> the new year beginning on 1st of January and no longer on April 1st, has
> lead people in France to make mocked gift, on this date; and the custom
> still goes on (especially in colleges!).
>
> Is it the same custom in other countries?
>
> Thanks for your informations!
>
> Marie-Claude
> Marie-Claude Deprez-Masson
>
I've read the same things, but I'm not already satisfied : the
change of the beginning of the year to the 1srt of January is quite late
in France (around 1580, if I remember well...) but presents for the 1srt
of January were given long before : I have two cases in the middle of the
15th century, little sums or presents given to Meschinot by the Duke of
Britanny. More, in France, the year began with the Easter Day, moving
from the end of March to the beginning of May. I'm not sure the 1rst of
april fishes were echoing the beginning of the year. Perhaps the Easter
eggs and chocolate rabbits would be, calendarly speaking, more suitable...
Could anyone save us?
Sincere thanks...
Denis Hue
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