Why Is April Fools' Day Celebrated? Origin, Pranks And More

April Fools' Day is celebrated every year on April 1. The day is earmarked for humour, laughter, and harmless fun.

April Fools' Day has been observed for centuries. but its true origins are unknown. One widely accepted theory originates from France in the 16th century.

The French used to celebrate their New Year's Day on April 1, following the Julian calendar. However, in 1564, King Charles IX switched the country to the Gregorian calendar, which moved New Year's Day to January 1. The news about the change travelled slowly, and many people in rural areas continued to celebrate the New Year on April 1 defying the change and, hence, were called 'April Fools'.

Another theory suggests that April Fools' Day may be linked to the ancient Roman festival of Hilaria, held at the end of March.

Yet another speculation ties the day to the vernal equinox, the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere when Mother Nature is said to 'fool' humans with unpredictable weather.

April Fools' Day is significant as it is a day filled with laughter and camaraderie. In a world where everyone is filled with tension, this day serves as a welcome respite. The day reminds us of the joy that comes from sharing a good laugh with friends and loved ones.

April Fools' Day has gained popularity across the globe. In Scotland, it is called 'Hunt the Gowk Day' ('gowk' being a Scottish term for a foolish person), where people are sent on phoney errands.

In Ireland, a traditional prank involves entrusting a 'fool' with an important letter to be given to a named recipient. The letter, however, instructs the recipient to send the 'fool' to someone else, and the process repeats.

In France, the tradition is known as 'Poisson d'Avril' or 'April Fish'. Children often tape paper fish to their friends' backs without their knowledge. When the "fish" is eventually discovered, the joke is revealed, and exclamations of 'Poisson d'Avril!' can be heard. Italy, Belgium and French-speaking parts of Switzerland and Canada also celebrate April Fools' Day with a similar "fish" tradition.

In the UK, pranks and jokes are traditionally played only on the morning of April 1. If someone plays a trick on you after midday, they are considered the 'April Fool'.

Here are some April Fools' Day pranks that you can try this year:

• Replace the sugar with salt or chilli powder in the sugar jar. Watch as your family members react to their unexpectedly spicy or salty tea or coffee.

• Cover the sensor on the TV remote with a small piece of black tape. Then, sit back and watch as your family members try to figure out why the remote isn't working.

• Place fake insects, like plastic spiders or cockroaches, in unexpected places, like inside a drawer or under a pillow. Be prepared for some screams!

• Take a screenshot of your colleagues' computer desktop and set it as their wallpaper. Then, hide all their desktop icons and watch as they try to click on things that aren't there.

• Use a prank call app to make fake calls to your friends or family members. Pretend to be someone else and have some harmless fun with them.

• Replace the cream filling in Oreo cookies with toothpaste. Offer them to your friends or family members and see their reactions when they take a bite.

• Text your office colleague or friend saying you know their secret, and when they ask about it, don’t reply. They will freak out and might even spill something unexpected.