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In sixteenth-century France, the start of the new year
was observed on April first. It was celebrated in much
the same way as it is today with parties and dancing
into the late hours of the night. Then in 1562, Pope
Gregory introduced a new calendar for the Christian
world, and the new year fell on January first. There
were some people, however, who hadn't heard or didn't
believe the change in the date, so they continued to
celebrate New Year's Day on April first. Others played
tricks on them and called them "April fools." They sent
them on a "fool's errand" or tried to make them believe
that something false was true. In France today, April
first is called "Poisson d'Avril." French children fool
their friends by taping a paper fish to their friends'
backs. When the "young fool" discovers this trick, the
prankster yells "Poisson d’Avril!" (April Fish!) Today
Americans play small tricks on friends and strangers
alike on the first of April. One common trick on April
Fool's Day, or All Fool's Day, is pointing down to a
friend's shoe and saying, "Your shoelace is untied."
Teachers in the nineteenth century used to say to
pupils, "Look! A flock of geese!" and point up. School
children might tell a classmate that school has been
canceled. Whatever the trick, if the innocent victim
falls for the joke the prankster yells, "April Fool! "
The "fools' errands" we play on people are practical
jokes. Putting salt in the sugar bowl for the next
person is not a nice trick to play on a stranger.
College students set their clocks an hour behind, so
their roommates show up to the wrong class - or not at
all. Some practical jokes are kept up the whole day
before the victim realizes what day it is. Most April
Fool jokes are in good fun and not meant to harm anyone.
The most clever April Fool joke is the one where
everyone laughs, especially the person upon whom the
joke is played.
| "The first of April is the day we remember
what we are the other 364 days of the year. " |
| - American humorist Mark Twain |
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