The origin of April Fools

April Fools’ Day is a day dedicated solely to pulling pranks, creating mischief, and fooling friends and loved ones to get a great laugh. The day may seem all about fun and games, but how did it get its name?

Many historians have concluded that April Fool’s Day began around 1582. Because of a leap year that threw their calendar out of sync by ten days, France decided to switch from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar. With the Julian calendar, the new year started during the spring equinox, around April 1st, while the Gregorian calendar meant the new year would now begin on January 1st.

Since the switch was relatively new, some people were not aware of the change and continued to celebrate the new year at the beginning of April. Because they continued to practice their old ways, they became laughing stocks that people constantly messed around with.

One example of the pranks people pulled was that they would place paper fish on their backs. The practice was known as “Poisson d’avril” which translates to April fish. That symbolized that they were easy fish to catch because they were gullible. These people that many took pleasure in toying with were thus named April Fools. The day became recognized every year, and every year it continued to gain fame as more and more people joined in.

Celebrating April Fool’s Day has become a tradition that many people take part in. Numerous people might not even think about such a common holiday having a history like this. April Fools has been around for centuries, and many people take the day to perform practical jokes on other people without realizing where the day got its start.

Written by Margeyah Dominique | Graphic Designed by Kathryn Hale

Published April 1, 2021 | ePathfinder | Feature