April 1 is celebrated informally as April Fool’s Day in many countries around the world, in many different ways. The United States takes a commonly light-hearted approach: dedicating the day to playing friendly pranks and practical jokes on their loved ones, making sure to say “April Fool’s!” at the conclusion of the joke. If you wind up the butt of a joke, it’s most likely all in good fun!
The origins of April Fool’s Day are unclear, but they go back hundreds of years. Some historians claim that the first iteration of the holiday was the ancient Roman festival Hilaria (“joyful” in Latin), a late-March event centered around games, costumes, and entertainment. Others point to the commotion caused among Catholics in 1582, when the Pope ordered that all Christian nations would be required to adopt the Gregorian calendar, shifting the start of the new year from the end of March to the beginning of January; those who insisted on still celebrating a new year at the start of April were derisively called “April fools.” Holidays such as Scotland’s “Hunt the Gowk” Day, where people send their friends on pointless errands as a joke, are also said to have their origins in this history.
Nevertheless, the fact remains that countless people around the world have long embraced a free chance to have some fun with others. Some of the most famous television hoaxes and large-scale practical jokes in history were performed for the sake of the holiday, with such success that they are still remembered fondly today.
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