April Fools’ Day is filled with pranks, jokes, mischief, fun and joy. I still remember the anticipation I used to have during this day when I was schooling, ready with a prank of my own, to give my friends a mini heart attack or the other way around where my friends have pranked me. It’s still a day I fondly look upon and I’m sure it is the same for you as well.
April Fools’ Day is when you truly find out the type of person you are and the types of friends you have. You could be the gullible friend who is easy to fool, you could be the serious friend who may not like these so-called pranks, you could be the sensitive friend who easily gets agitated or you could be the prankster who wreaks havoc. Of course there is nothing wrong with being any of these people. At the end of the day, it is a day of harmless pranks and fun and it should only be that way. It’s a day of bringing people closer not the other way around.
April Fools’ Day is an annual custom on the 1st of April consisting of practical jokes and hoaxes. Jokesters often expose their actions by shouting “April Fools!” at the recipient. The custom of setting aside a day for playing harmless pranks upon one’s neighbors has been relatively common in the world historically. Now let’s look at some ways people have celebrated April Fools’.
In Ireland, it was traditional to entrust the victim with an “important letter” to be given to a named person. That person would read the letter, then ask the victim to take it to someone else, and so on. The letter when opened contained the words “send the fool further”.
In Iran, it is a tradition that takes place 13 days after the Persian new year. On this day, people go out and leave their houses and have fun outside mostly in natural parks. Pranks have reportedly been played on this holiday since 536 BC.
In Norway and Sweden most news media outlets will publish exactly one false story on the 1st of April; for newspapers this will typically be a first-page article but not the top headline.
Remember, April Fools’ Day is all about lighthearted fun and laughter, not causing distress or humiliation. When planning your prank, be sure it’s something that will bring a smile, not a tear. And if you’re on the receiving end of a prank, take it in stride, being a good sport is just part of the April Fools’ Day spirit. After all, the best pranks are the ones we can all laugh about together.
