What is April Fools Day and how did it begin? Well, that is a very good question. The origin of this holiday is rather uncertain. However, the common belief holds that during the reformation of the calendar the date for the New Year was moved from April 1st to January 1st. During that time in history there was no television and no radio so word spread slowly. There were also those who chose to simply ignore the change and those who merely forgot. These people were considered fools and invitations to non-existent parties and other practical jokes were played on them. All Fools Day is practiced in many parts of the world with practical jokes and sending people on a fools errand.
Another thought is that the origin began with the celebrations of the Spring Equinox. While some believe it has to do the a Roman festival known as Hilaria, the end of the Celtic new year.
In Scotland, April Fools Day lasts 48 hours, day two is know as Taily Day and pranks involving the posterior are played. The victim of the practical joke is referred to as hunting the gowk; the gowk is an extinct cuckoo bird.
In France, he is the poisson dAvril or fish of April. The fish in April are newly hatched and easily caught. French children enjoy taping a picture of a fish on their friends back and yelling out Poisson dAvril! when it is found.
Da de los Santos Inocentes is held in Spain on December 28th. This is The Feast of the Holy Innocents. Its celebrated similarly to April Fools Day with practical jokes.
In the United States, pranks are played on just about everybody. Pranks range from the standard Your shoe is untied, to some very creative and elaborate ideas. The only rule is that no one should be harmed. The best jokes are when everybody including the victim laughs.
In the 16th century, people celebrated New Years Day from March 25 to April 1. In the mid1560s King Charles IX changed it from March 25 to January 1. But some people still celebrated in on April 1, so others called them April Fools.
Each country celebrates April Fools Day differently. In France, people call the April Fools April Fish. They tape a paper fish to their friends backs to fool them. When he or she finds this , they shout April Fish!
In England, people play jokes only in the morning. You are a noodle if someone fools you. In Scotland, April Fools Day is 48 hours long. They call an April Fool April Gowk. Gowk is another name for a cuckoo bird.
In the America, people play small jokes on their friends and any other people on the first of Aprol. They may point down to your shoe and say, Your shoelace is untied. If you believe them and look down to see, you are an April Fool then.
Last March, my mother told my father and me that my grandfather would come in April. We were very happy because my grandfather was an interesting old man and he had not visited us since he went to Hong Kong.
On April 1 my father and I bought a lot of food from the supermarket and bought a big bunch of flowers home. Then we did some cleaning at home. At night when we were waiting for my grandfather, the bell rang and in came my mother. She smiled to us and said April fools!
