This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Kenyon chapter.
Happy April Fools’ Day everyone! Everyone knows that April 1st is a day of jokes and trickery and joking and tricking, but I bet what you do not know is the deep and meaningful history of such an important holiday. Here are a few significant facts!
1. April Fools’ Day is named after April of Fools, a young peasant girl from a small village in Europe who told jokes on the street in exchange for bread.
2. April 1st is the anniversary of the day in which April finally told a joke funny enough to earn herself a loaf of pumpernickel bread.
3. Despite being named April, this comedic heroine was actually born on a sunny day in June. The fact that this day takes place in April is a strange coincidence.
4. No one can recall the joke April told that day. According to an ancient text, one spectator remarked, “The maiden’s joke was not funny enough to be remembered. She just looked hungry so someone threw a loaf of pumpernickel at her head. In retrospect, they might have actually been attempting to silence her with a concussion. It did seem to be quite a stale loaf of bread.”
5. A little known fact about April Fools’ Day is that it is customary to buy a loaf of stale pumpernickel bread and throw it at the funniest person you know to show them that not only do you find them hilarious, but also you care.
6. April Fools’ Day was originally titled, “Throw a Loaf of Pumpernickel at a Funny Fellow Day,” but it did not fit as well on greeting cards.
7. In some countries, “Throw a Loaf of Pumpernickel at a Funny Fellow Day” is still celebrated in its original form, but it has caused much controversy as more and more people have gone gluten-free.
8. After April of Fools had earned enough bread, she opened the world’s first and last “Used Bakery.” Although it was overall an unsuccessful business venture, she made enough money to buy herself a very attractive jester hat and a fresh loaf of pumpernickel bread.
9. As April was not a registered jester in the village of Fools, she was arrested immediately for donning the sacred hat without a permit, and her bread was confiscated. We celebrate April Fools’ Day today to honor her sacrifice and mourn for the loaf of pumpernickel that was lost on that cold, dark day.
10. April spent the rest of her days making her fellow prisoners laugh, telling them jokes, entertaining them with pranks, and being the life of the prison cell. She serves as a warning to always get a permit before purchasing any hat, especially of the jester variety.
Well, there you have it folks, the deep and rich history of April Fools’ Day. I hope you all enjoy this glorious holiday by pranking your loved ones, wearing a legal jester hat, eating a nice, stale loaf of pumpernickel bread, and realizing that this entire history of April Fools’ Day was a joke!
I really got you, didn’t I?? Anyway, I’m sure the actual history of April Fools’ Day is incredibly interesting, but wouldn’t you rather just go with this one?