Sea socks
It sometimes happens that certain places or objects momentarily bring back memories. These thoughts relate both to real events and to stories learned in the pages of novels. April 23rd is World Book Day, and it is one of those occasions when thoughts wander to favourite literary characters. Socks can also evoke a wave of associations. Our collection includes many sea models which bring to mind the fate of the Little Mermaid. It is enough to look at socks with a lighthouse or socks with waves to make the image of the heroine of Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale come to your mind. Nowadays, the Little Mermaid is known mainly thanks to Disney adaptations. The film Ariel dreams of incredible adventures and getting to know the world of people. Similarly to the literary original, she also has feelings for a handsome prince, however, her further life differs from the adventures of the character known from Andersen's fairy tale. Walt Disney's studio gave her a happy ending, which the original version lacked. The Little Mermaid is, above all, a tale of sacrifice and selfless love. The heroine's feeling is never spoken, and the prince remains unaware of both her love and sacrifice. However, the fate of the mermaid offers hope for a different kind of happiness. By giving up her selfishness, the heroine is given a chance to become one of the daughters of the air, and consequently to gain a soul.
World Book Day
World Book and Copyright Day has been celebrated since 1995. The holiday was created by UNESCO to promote reading, editing and the protection of intellectual property. The chosen date is not accidental. It was on April 23 that many events took place that had a symbolic dimension for the world of literature. William Shakespeare, Miguel de Cervantes and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, an outstanding historian of Peruvian origin, died on that day. Just one day earlier is the birthday of Vladimir Nabokov. Before the holiday gained international fame, it was celebrated in Spain. The Spanish tradition goes back to 1926, when Vincente Clavel Andres, a publisher from Valencia, initiated the creation of a holiday promoting reading. Since 1930 the Book Day has been an official holiday in Spain, and since 1964 also in all Spanish-speaking countries. Additionally, April 23 is the day of the patron saint of Catalonia, Saint George. For years there has been a tradition of giving red roses to women. The scarlet color of the flowers is supposed to symbolize the blood of the dragon that the Saint defeated. With time, women wanted to thank men and also give them gifts, among which the most popular were books. Since 2001, UNESCO has awarded the title of World Book Capital. Every year a city is chosen which promotes reading in an original way. In 2021 the title went to Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. The promotional slogan is: Ok. So your next book is...? This year's campaign focuses on spreading reading through modern technologies.
