How did April Fool’s Day begin?

Perhaps we'll always remain fools if we fail to figure out the origin of April Fool's Day.

The history says that until mid 1500AD, one calendar was used throughout Europe. Under this calendar, each New Year began on April 1st. On that day, it was customary for people to celebrate by exchanging gifts and visiting each other as we do now.

The April's Fool's Day is believed to have begun in France around 1564, when the King Charles IX adopted the Gregorian Calendar and decreed to move the New Year's Day to January 1^st, instead of the previous March 25-April 1.

 While many people followed the Royal Decree and the new calendar, some refused to acknowledge the change of the New Year’s Day and clung to their former celebration. However, there were some who remained uninformed about the changes for several years as the news traveled slowly. So, these people who continued to celebrate it on 1^st April were called "fools" and subjected to jokes, tricks, pranks and ridicule. Their friends and neighbours sent mock gifts, invited them to fake parties, and played tricks on them because they were “April Fools,” who continued to observe their New Year’s Day on 1^st April.

Today, April Fool's Day has become a worldwide practice with certain air of uniqueness in each culture. In England, jokes are only played in the morning. It is considered bad luck to play a practical joke on someone in the afternoon.

In Italy, France and Belgium, children and adults tack paper fish on each other's back as a trick and shout, "April fish!" (in their language).

In Scotland, April Fool's Day is celebrated over two days and is also known as "April Gawk." Gawk is the Scottish word for cuckoo (a simpleton). The second day of the celebration involves pranks involving the butt. It is known as Taily Day (Most likely how those 'kick me' signs started.

Portugal celebrates the April Fool's Day on the Sunday or Monday before Lent. Tricksters throw flour at friends.

Finally in America, it goes from simple silly untruths to elaborate pranks.

What is your favourite joke for the Day?

 

 SOURCE:

1.       http://family.lifegoesstrong.com/article/what-april-fools-day  Retrieved 31^st March, 2013.

2.      http://www.bigsiteofamazingfacts.com/how-did-april-fools-day-begin-and-how-did-it-get-its-name   Retrieved 31^st March, 2013.