Observed annually on February 8th, National Kite Flying Day encourages exploring kite flying and making. Enthusiasts across the country mark the day by launching their kites or making plans to attend festivals. Kites date back to China in 470 B.C. China is full of lore and histories of the origins of the kite. Many are related to the way wind affects the leaves on the trees, the shelters they lived in, blowing away the sails on their ships, and the hats they wore upon their heads. The stories also tell of kites invented to spy on their enemies or to send messages. Evidence also shows the people of the South Sea Islands were using kites for fishing around the same time as the people of China. Early kites were constructed from bamboo or sturdy reeds for framing. Leaves, silk, or paper made ideal sails. Vines or braided fibers completed the line or tether. While people initially used kites as tools, they also used them for ceremonial reasons as well. Whether they sent messages into the heavens or to lift offerings up to the gods, kites had a symbolic place in the culture.