We’ve all fallen prey to a family member or friend’s prank on April 1. It has been a well-established notion that this day is reserved for jokes or hoaxes culminating in yelling “April Fools!” at the end. Celebrated for several centuries around the world by diverse cultures, when it comes to the origin story of April Fools’ Day, the joke is on us. Why? Because how it came to be is a complete mystery.
Many historians link April Fools’ Day to events starting as early as the mid 1500s. The ancient Roman holiday called Hilaria is thought to be one inspiration. Hilaria, which in Latin translates to “cheerful one,” was held on Mar. 25 to celebrate the March equinox to honor Cybele (a personification of Mother Earth and the mother of all gods, humans, plants and animals). While Hilaria was a day to dress up in disguise and be merry there is no concrete evidence to suggest Hilaria is what created April Fools’.
People throughout history have been wondering why April Fools’ is celebrated on the first of April. In 1708, the British Apollo magazine asked, “Whence proceeds the custom of making April Fools?” One of the earliest documented references to April Fools’ is attributed to Eduard de Dene, a Flemish writer who authored a comical poem in 1561 with a title that roughly translates to “Refrain On Errand-Day." The poem is about a nobleman who sends his servant on absurd errands on April. 1. As the day progresses and the errands become more ridiculous, the servant realizes that he was part of an April Fools’ joke.
Today, while many countries celebrate April Fools’, traditions vary for the holiday. In France, April 1 is known as “poisson de’avril” or “April fish” and the goal of the day is to attach a paper fish to someone's back without being noticed. The Polish tradition of April Fools’ is taken very seriously with individuals, the media and public institutions getting involved in elaborate hoaxes. One Polish newspaper reported one prank involved a herd of 30 bison marching to Warsaw. In Britain, all tricks take place prior to noon, as it is considered bad luck afterward. Scotland established a two-day prank celebration called “hunting the gowk” or just “gowk,”after the name of a cuckoo bird or fool.
It is quite fitting that April Fool’s Day gets to have the last laugh, leaving us scratching our heads wondering how this holiday came to be. This year, April Fool’s Day falls on a Friday, allowing one the weekend to recuperate from the best pranks.
Happy April Fools’ Day!