Today I Learned: April Fools Day Might Have Started with “April Fish” Pranks

If you’re like me, you likely don’t treat April 1st much differently from most other days of the year. So let’s do what we usually do and learn us some knowledge about this so called “April Fools Day” – or April Fools’ Day, whichever gets your rocks off.

While the absolute origin of the April Fools tradition is pretty cloudy, a major theory is that it had to do with the shifting of the calendar so that the new year started January 1st, rather than April 1st. Because people can be raging dicks, people would make fun of those who didn’t get the memo and attempted to celebrate new years on the old date of April 1st. A common joke involved attaching a paper fish to the backs of these people, much like a “kick me” sign.

But really, no one knows. Even in the 1700s, people thought it was an old tradition with lost origins. 

So I’ve compiled several interesting articles on this mysterious day, as well as a few fun prank videos – not all April Fools related and let’s be honest, not all pranks – for kicks and giggles. 

Enjoy:

• April Fools’ Day, explained earnestly | Vox
• April Fools’ Day is a garbage holiday. Here is its terrible history. | The Washington Post
• This Day in History: April Fools tradition popularized | History 
• April Fools’ Day Origins | Snopes
• April Fools’ pranks: Some of the greatest ever | CNN

And my personal favorite. Always love a teacher that obviously still enjoys their job.

Did anything unexpected happen on your April 1st? Did you pull any pranks? Or did you go about your day normally? Leave your stories in the comments below!

[Header image source: Pixabay]

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