THERE’S SOMETHING FISHY GOING ON... 🐟
2026-04-01
There’s something fishy going on at the factory today... 🐟
Did you know that in France and Italy, April 1st is called "April Fish" (Poisson d’avril and Pesce d’aprile)?
The tradition dates back to 1564, when King Charles IX of France moved New Year’s Day from April to January 1st. Those who were slow to catch on were mocked with fake gifts and pranks – and thus, the April Fool was born! As the French “Poisson d’avril” became popular, Italians adopted a similar custom called “Pesce d’Aprile”. Today in Italy and France, people still enjoy making small jokes and sometimes stick paper fish on each other’s backs.
At our factory in Sweden, the production team has fully embraced the French/Italian April Fool's Day madness! Not even our valves and actuators were safe from the Southern European 'April Fish' pranks! Our team has been "fishing" for laughs, sticking paper fish on everything from staff members to our actuators. It’s been a morning of high pressure and even higher spirits! ⚙️🐟
💡 QUICK FACTS: Poisson d’avril! 🐟
● Why a Fish? Several theories explain why the fish became the symbol of the day. One popular explanation dates back to Lent, when meat was forbidden but fish was allowed, leading people to give out "fake fish" as a lighthearted prank. Others point to the zodiac sign of Pisces, which governs the month of March. There is also the idea that young fish are particularly easy to catch - much like a gullible person who easily falls for a clever April Fools' joke!
● The Paper Fish: The goal is to secretly tape a paper fish onto someone’s back. Once discovered, you shout out in Italy: "Pesce d’Aprile!"
● Easter Traditions: Since April 1st often falls close to Easter, French bakeries also fill up with Chocolats de Pâques – chocolates shaped like fish and seashells to celebrate the holiday season. 🍫
Whether you’re celebrating with a prank or a chocolate fish, we wish our colleagues and customers across Europe a fantastic April 1st and a wonderful start to the Easter weekend! 🐣🌷
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