Beware on April 1st of the pranksters and jokesters who are out to celebrate April Fool’s Day. Surely you have been the target of a joke once or twice, but how was this crazy holiday established? The origin of this holiday is not known for certain but there is a common theory, which finds its roots in France back in the year 1582. April Fool’s Day, which is also known as All Fool’s Day, is believed to have started because of a calendar change made by Charles IX. Up until 1582, April 1st had been the last day of New Year’s week on the Gregorian calendar. Charles IX then decided to move the New Year’s celebration to what we now know as New Years day: January 1st. Many defiant citizens would not adopt the calendar change and continued celebrating on April 1st. These “fools”, as they became known as, are whom we can all thank for the tradition of jokes, pranks and gags on the first of April every year.
An April Fool’s tradition in France that never made it to the States is a prank daughters would pull on their fathers: As tradition would have it, children would paste a cutout of a fish on their fathers’ backs in the morning. The father wears the fish on the back of his work attire all day long. Even though he clearly knows it’s there and could take off the fishy creation, the dad leaves it on and acts clueless for the sake of a child’s imagination and laughter. (After all, he’s not the only dad at work with a fish on his back). If you’re stuck on what to do this April Fool’s Day, cut out a fish and tape it on your friends’ backs. It’ll confuse the hell out of them and your friends will be awestruck by your knowledge of this silly holiday. You learn something new every day… Even on April Fool’s.