April 1 is also known as April Fools Day. It is a day for practical jokes in many countries around the world. The simplest jokes may involve children who tell each other that their shoelaces are undone and then cry out “April Fool!” when the victims glance at their feet. Some April Fool’s jokes publicized in the media include:
- In 2002, British supermarket chain Tesco published an advertisement in The Sun, announcing a genetically modified ‘whistling carrot’. The ad explained that the carrots were engineered to grow with tapered air holes in their side. When fully cooked, these holes would cause the carrot to whistle.
- In the early 1960s there was only one television channel in Sweden, broadcast in black and white. As an April Fool’s joke, it was announced on the news that viewers could convert their existing sets to display color reception by pulling a nylon stocking over their screen.
- In 1934, many American newspapers, including The New York Times, printed a photograph of a man flying through the air, supported by a device powered only by the breath from his lungs. Accompanying articles excitedly described this miraculous new invention.
Why is April Fool’s Day on The First Day of April?
If you’ve ever wondered why April Fool’s is on April first, you might not find out.There are several theories about the origin on the April Fool’s Day custom. One explanation focuses on the introduction of the Julian and the Gregorian calendar. From ancient times, people in some parts of Europe celebrated the New Year on or around the March Equinox. However, the new calendar systems defined January 1 as the first day of the year.
People who forgot about the change or observed the old rules for other reasons became victims of various jokes. For example, pranksters would discreetly stick paper fish to their backs. In France, the victims of this prank were called Poisson d’Avril, or April Fish.
Origin of April Fool’s Day
Practical jokes and pranks date back to Ancient Roman times. Ancient Romans and Celts celebrated a festival of practical joking around the time of the March equinox. Even though it has been celebrated for several centuries by several cultures, it’s exact origins remain a mystery.
Hilarious Pranks to Play on April Fools
Today is a day that you don’t have to take TOO seriously. So, have fun and get creative with your pranks!
- Fill up a doughnut box (think something obvious, like Krispy Kreme or Dunkin’ Donuts) with veggies inside, and listen for the reactions near the break room at work!
- Find a GIF of the infamous typing dots, and text it to different members of your fam, who will be so curious about what you could be writing to them for such a long time!
- Tape fake roaches inside a lampshade with the light on—talk about making everyone immediately feel creepy-crawly!
- Make a mashed potato and gravy sundae that looks just like ice cream and caramel sauce, but is definitely more dinner than dessert!
- Take a screenshot of your coworker or friend’s computer (or phone desktop), and leave the picture up so that they can’t figure out why nothing on their desktop is opening!
