AprilFool’sDay, alsoknownasAllFool’sDay, , crackjokesontheexpenseofvictimsandgifteachothergaggiftsandthenwhenthevictimsaretakeninbysurprise, allthewitnessesshout “AprilFool” .
Theoriginsofthiscustomaresomewhatuncertain, butmayhaveinitiallybeenrelatedtothearrivalofspringinlateMarch, atwhichtimeMotherNatureissaidto “fool” thehumanracewithsuddenandficklechangesintheweather...’sDaytraditionbeganinFranceduringthe16thcentury, whenthebeginningoftheNewYearwasobservedonApril1andwascelebratedinmuchthesamewayasNewYeartodaywithpartiesanddancinglateintothenight.In1582, however, duringthereignofKingCharlesIX, , possiblyevenyears, formanypeopletoevenhearwordofthechange (communicationsbeingwhattheywereinthe16thcentury) andsinceothersobstinatelyrefusedtoacceptsuchreformorsimplyforgot, NewYear’ “AprilFools”, sendingthemona “fool’serrand” (aninvitationtoanon-existentparty, forexample) , thispracticeevolvedintoanannualtraditionofApril1prank-playing, eventuallymigratingtoEnglandandScotlandduringthe18thcenturyandthus, introducedtotheAmericancoloniesbyBritishandFrenchsettlers.
AprilFool’sDayismarkedbythecommissionofhoaxesandotherpracticaljokesofvaryingsophisticationonfriends, familymembers, enemies, andneighbors, orsendingthemonafool’serrand, , .Childrenbornon1stofAprilareconsideredluckygenerally, exceptingamblingwheretheywillfarebadly.
Traditionally, insomecountries, suchastheUK, Australia, NewZealand, andSouthAfricathejokesonlylastuntilnoon, andsomeonewhoplaysatrickafternooniscalledan “AprilFool”.Elsewhere, suchasinCanada, France, Ireland, Italy, Russia, theNetherlands, andtheU.S., thejokeslastallday.
ThestyleofAprilFool’, however, itisoftenatimeofinitiationritesintoacluborgroup, especiallybytheadultpopulation, , modernprankstendtocentermorearoundbogustelephonecallsandmedia-drivenfoolery.
Insum, AllFool’sDayisa “forfunonly” observance—atimewhennobodyisexpectedtobuygifts, ’sDayjokesandpranksisthattheyshouldnotbeharmfulbutabletobeenjoyedbyeveryone—especiallythepersonuponwhomthejokeisplayed.
