In Quebec and other French-speaking communities, April 1 is known as Poisson d’Avril—“April fish.” The best-known prank is to secretly attach a paper fish to someone’s back and wait for the person to notice.
How it is celebrated
Children may draw and cut out fish at school or home, then try to tape them to classmates, teachers, friends, or family members. The day can also include ordinary April Fools’ jokes, playful false announcements, and harmless tricks.
Why a fish?
Several origin stories circulate. One links the custom to calendar changes and people who continued celebrating the new year around April. Other explanations involve fishing seasons, Lent, or the idea of an easily caught person. Historians do not agree on one simple, fully documented origin.
Keep the prank kind
The paper-fish tradition works because it is visible, temporary, and usually harmless. Avoid pranks involving emergencies, public humiliation, property damage, food allergies, or misinformation that continues after the joke is revealed.
Language note
Poisson d’avril! can refer to the prank, the paper fish, or the exclamation used when the joke is discovered.