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April Fool's Day

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April Fools’ Day, also called All Fools’ Day, is celebrated every April 1st in the United States. While it is not officially recognized as a holiday, many celebrate by pranking, or pulling practical jokes on their colleagues.

As April Fools’ is celebrated in different ways throughout the world, it is unknown exactly how the tradition originated. Some cultures saw it as the first day of spring, celebrating with general merriment and feasting, and certain calendars may consider it the first day of the year. One theory for the terming of an April Fool was that some refused to follow these calendars that recognized April 1st as the first day of the year, which resulted in being called an April Fool. 

There are a few other theories as to precursors to the holiday tradition. Hilaria, a Roman festival, which celebrated Cybele, an Anatolian goddess, was celebrated around March 25th. The Feast of Fools was a term given to many medieval festivals celebrated during the fifth-sixteenth centuries in Europe, but particularly at the end of December. These celebrations developed a tradition of practical jokes, especially when observed in Spain.

It usually does not land on the same day as Easter. But it does this year. I remember playing jokes on friends at school and at work. You always had to watch your back. All in good fun.

Photo courtesy of Pixabay.

  • Question of

    Do you celebrate April Fool’s Day?

    • Yes
    • No
  • Question of

    Do you pull pranks on your family and friends?

    • Yes
    • No
  • Question of

    Would you like to share any fun memories in comments?

    • Yes
    • No

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Written by Carol DM

41 Comments

  1. Don’t really celebrate April fool’s day…was surprised that my aunt’s didn’t pull any stunts at Easter brunch though being the jokesters that they are known to be!
    Great post on the day though!

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  4. Bulgaria is celebrating the day of the joke today. Most often this is what my great son is doing. We often joke about the rest of the year.

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  8. I remember we prank a classmate telling her that we’re catching the 2:30pm show, she showed up some time around 2:20pm but we’re not there, she called one round (to all 3 of us) but we didn’t picked up till her 2nd call, and we told her, it’s the 12:30pm show, not 2:30pm and we’re already on our way back.

    In the end, we surprised her … and we watched the 5:30pm show.

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  9. Awe, I love Garfield. Cute picture used. Good poll. I remember one that stands out above all, and it looks like I am not the only one who fell for this prank. One Aprils Fools Day which was on the weekend one year. My dad, woke me up for school, I got ready, he went so far as to drive me to school. hahahaa I only realized something was wrong when the school was deserted.

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  11. Great post and poll, Carol! I’ve always loved this day 🙂 Sam, my youngest, was frequently the butt of elaborate pranks in his younger years (he’s 16 now). I particularly remember one year, waking him up, telling him he was late to sing in the church, and watching him race around in a frenzy for a few minutes before putting him out of his misery. Similarly another year waking him an hour early for school then going back to bed while he was in the shower, and waiting for his bewilderment 🙂
    The last time Easter Sunday fell on 1st April was 1956, but it will happen again much sooner, in 2029. (Yeah I asked Google!)

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    • Funny, I looked it up as well, after I posted this. Kind of cool trivia. And shame on you Dad but he will look back and smile one day as he pulls the same pranks on his kids. 🙂

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